Canada Announces 36 Countries Whose Citizens Can Apply for International Experience Canada
- Canada confirmed 36 countries and territories with bilateral youth mobility agreements that qualify for its International Experience Canada programme (IEC)
- The full list includes major nations such as Australia, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and South Korea, among others
- No African country made the list of nations eligible for the IEC work and travel opportunity in Canada
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Canada has published the full list of 36 countries and territories whose citizens are eligible to apply for its International Experience Canada (IEC) programme, a youth mobility initiative built on bilateral agreements between Canada and partner nations.
The IEC allows young people from eligible countries to live, work, and travel in Canada for a period of time, offering an international experience beyond standard tourism or student visas.
Source: UGC
Countries eligible for International Experience Canada
The 36 countries and territories confirmed as eligible are:
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Belgium
- Chile
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hong Kong
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Republic of Korea (South Korea)
- San Marino
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan
- United Kingdom
The list is dominated by European nations, alongside a number of Asia-Pacific countries and a handful from Latin America.
Africa left out of the IEC List
Notably absent from the list is any country from the African continent. Nations such as Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa are not among the eligible territories, meaning young people across Africa remain unable to access the IEC pathway. Applicants from non-listed countries would need to explore other immigration or work permit routes to enter Canada for similar purposes.
The announcement is relevant given ongoing conversations about mobility opportunities and the global demand among young Africans, particularly Nigerians, for legal pathways to work and live abroad.
In a similar report, Legit.ng published that Canada announced other documents travellers must provide before boarding their flight with eTA.
UK Youth Mobility: 13 countries' visa quota
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the UK announced its 2026 Youth Mobility Scheme, including the 13 countries and territories eligible to apply and their annual visa quotas. Australia received the largest allocation, with 38,500 places, while some countries received only 100.
The scheme allows eligible young people to live and work in the UK for up to two years, but no African country made the 2026 list. This means applicants from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa remain excluded from the route.
Source: Legit.ng
