Moving to Canada for 12 months - IEC Working Holiday Visa

Soldato
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** Update ** - We moved here in March 2013, this is our blog - www.ourcanadianadventure.co.uk

Hi all, I know there's a few threads from the past few years with lots of information and stories in, but I thought I'd post my plans, just because I can really :p

I know a lot of people go through BUNAC for this, however my girlfriend and I have been doing a lot of research, and it looks relatively easy to do this without the need for BUNAC, and in fact I have read that by 2013 the Canadian government will not reserve any spaces for third parties, BUNAC are the only third party that currently get spaces allocated to them, but not for long.

We're hopefully submitting our ACRO Police Certificate application (£35 each) at the end of this month, when we get this, we'll submit our application for an IEC working visa (around £90 each I think). Apparently this can take 8 weeks to be processed, and there are only around 5,500 spaces available to British passport holders (still loads left as it's only just January).

When you get accepted, you get a Letter of Introduction, which is valid for 12 months from date of issue. You present this to immigration when you arrive in Canada, and your 12 month visa starts from them.

We're planning on moving January 2013, as we both have commitments until then. I have a house lease until August, and wedding photography bookings up until 6th December 2012.

Excited is an understatement!!! I know this will happen, I'm determined to make it happen, I've lived around the same town my whole life. My girlfriend has lived all over, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Fife, Aberdeen, and London, she seems really organised, has moved around lots in the past, and has done a load of research into it all. We can't wait :)

Vancouver is currently top of the list of where to move to.

No point of this thread really, other than to see who else is looking to do it this year/next year, and what your plans are, how you're finding planning for things, and any useful info you've found out that you'd like to share.
 
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Not seen a whole lot of Canada, but drove through a fair bit of it - stayed in Vancouver, as well as Toronto and surrounding area.

I thought Vancouver was amazing. Really fun, got a great centre and lots of stuff to do around it. Plus, if you get bored/want to se more you can easily head over the border to Seattle and Portland. one of my favourite places in all of North America.
 
You lucky sod :).

A long way to go yet unfortunately. Lots of forms to fill in, but assuming we do it all properly there is no reason why it won't happen :)

No doubt if it does happen I'll want to cry when the 12 months are up. If I have fun I'll definitely do it again (you can get two in your lifetime).
 
why are people saying lucky and jealous etc? go do it?:confused:

I looked into this last year. It's not worth going via bunac anymore - just go via canadian embassy. I think bunac is good for a first timer though as they provide help whilst you're out there, work/places to stay etc but it's not really worth the £250 fee.
 
why are people saying lucky and jealous etc? go do it?:confused:

I looked into this last year. It's not worth going via bunac anymore - just go via canadian embassy. I think bunac is good for a first timer though as they provide help whilst you're out there, work/places to stay etc but it's not really worth the £250 fee.

Yeah that's the conclusion we came to as well. I'd rather put that £250 towards the £500+ medical insurance we'll need when we move!!

You're right, nothing to be jealous about, just do it :D
 
Congrats, my sister in law and her boyfriend have just come back from a year in Canada. Something to remember that they made apparent, if you want to extend it for a second year keep an eye on when applications for that open and get in fast, it's different to applying to enter for the first time and if you miss it you have to apply from outside Canada.
 
Congrats, my sister in law and her boyfriend have just come back from a year in Canada. Something to remember that they made apparent, if you want to extend it for a second year keep an eye on when applications for that open and get in fast, it's different to applying to enter for the first time and if you miss it you have to apply from outside Canada.

Yeah I was looking into that as well. I did read someone on OcUK in another thread, either they or a friend of theirs had gone to the USA for a few months traveling (not working), applied whilst there, and then reentered Canada once they'd been accepted.

To be honest, after a year there, a few months back in England would probably be quite nice whilst I applied again, that is of course if I like it there :)
 
why are people saying lucky and jealous etc? go do it?:confused:

I'd be out the door now if I could but being disabled and needing some level of care kinda floors that idea of going abroad to travel/work. :/

My brother moved to work/live in bermuda of all places, had the best time of his life and met his wife out there (married & had their 1st born), thats the kinda experience I'd love.
 
We'll have to meet up ScarySquirrel! Me and my wife are applying for out IEC visa in the next couple of weeks (Sending off for the police certificates tomorrow) and most likely will be landing in Canada at the start of 2013. Vancouver is also our favourite, although we may end up further out towards Banff.

We are setting off on our adventure to walk the length of America this April, and will end up in Canada by October. We could start the IEC visas then, but will probably want to go home and visit people for a while.

Don't worry about the forms, they can't be any worse than the Canadian Permanent Residency Visa ones. With the IEC visa, do you know if you have to send your passport off to the embassy?
 
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I thought Vancouver was amazing. Really fun, got a great centre and lots of stuff to do around it. Plus, if you get bored/want to se more you can easily head over the border to Seattle and Portland. one of my favourite places in all of North America.

Ditto...
 
We'll have to meet up ScarySquirrel! Me and my wife are applying for out IEC visa in the next couple of weeks (Sending off for the police certificates tomorrow) and most likely will be landing in Canada at the start of 2013. Vancouver is also our favourite, although we may end up further out towards Banff.

We are setting off on our adventure to walk the length of America this April, and will end up in Canada by October. We could start the IEC visas then, but will probably want to go home and visit people for a while.

Don't worry about the forms, they can't be any worse than the Canadian Permanent Residency Visa ones. With the IEC visa, do you know if you have to send your passport off to the embassy?

Awesome! :) Yeah definitely that would be great.

I've had a look through all the forms and they're pretty standard stuff, not very long at all and it's mostly the usual personal information, family information, etc.
 
Lived out there for 6 months last year, stayed in British Columbia for just about all of it. Give me a shout if you want me to post up a bit more as think I will need to make a brew and 20 mins or so to type it all out :)
 
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