Thinking about a working holiday in Canada? Australians are one of the biggest groups on the International Experience Canada (IEC) program, and for good reason: two years, an open work permit, ski seasons in Whistler and Banff, and Vancouver and Toronto to explore.
We made this exact move ourselves, from two years of working holidays in Australia to Vancouver on IEC working holiday visas, and we wished someone had laid it all out for us. So here it is: who can go, the new quota, every step of the application, the AFP police check, biometrics, insurance and what to do when you land. Updated for October 2026.
Canada Working Holiday for Australians: Quick Facts
- Who: Australian citizens aged 18 to 35 (inclusive).
- How long: up to 24 months on an open work permit, so you can work for almost any employer, anywhere in Canada.
- How many times: Working Holiday or Young Professionals once only. You can add one International Co-op (internship) placement if you’re a student and eligible.
- Money: at least CA$2,500, plus a return ticket or enough money to buy one.
- Cost: CA$184.75 IEC fee, CA$100 open work permit holder fee and CA$85 biometrics, so CA$369.75, plus A$57 for your AFP police check.
- Quota: Australia now has one. In 2026 it’s 5,820 working holiday places.
- Insurance: compulsory, for your whole stay. If it’s shorter, your permit is cut to match.
Is There a Quota for Australians Now?
Yes, and that’s new. In 2025 there was no limit on Australian working holiday places: IRCC’s own data showed the Australian quota as unlimited. For 2026 there is a quota of 5,820 working holiday places, and with more than 8,900 invitations already sent, the pool was down to its last 133 spots in mid-October, with chances of an invitation rated “very low”.
Invitations in the working holiday pool are random, so there’s nothing to gain from a perfect profile, but you can’t be invited if you’re not in the pool. The 2026 season is closing (profiles had to be in by 9am ET on 19 October 2026), and the 2027 season hasn’t been announced yet. Recent seasons have opened in mid-December, so get your passport and documents ready and submit your profile as soon as the 2027 pools open.
How to Apply: Step by Step
- Check you’re eligible with IRCC’s Come to Canada questionnaire, which gives you a personal reference code.
- Create an IRCC account and submit your profile to the Working Holiday pool.
- Wait for an invitation to apply (ITA). Rounds run through the season and selection is random.
- Accept within 10 days of your invitation by starting your application.
- Submit within 20 days, uploading your documents (including your police certificate, or proof you’ve ordered it) and paying the fees.
- Give your biometrics within 30 days of receiving the biometric instruction letter, which usually arrives within 24 hours of paying.
- Wait for a decision. IRCC’s service standard is 56 days, and in October 2026 it was quoting around 6 weeks for IEC.
- Get your port of entry (POE) letter. It’s valid for 1 year, and you must land in Canada before it expires.
- Buy your insurance for the full length of your permit (IRCC recommends buying it after you get the POE letter).
- Fly to Canada and get your work permit at the airport.
From invitation to POE letter, allow roughly 2 to 3 months. If you change your mind before the POE letter is issued, you can withdraw and get the IEC fee and open work permit holder fee back.
Your AFP Police Check: Use Code 35
IRCC wants a police certificate from every country where you’ve spent 6 months or more in a row since you turned 18. For Australia that’s an AFP National Police Certificate, and the code matters:
- Choose “Commonwealth Employment / Purpose” and then code 35: “Overseas employment/visa – for supply to a country other than Australia”, name check only. Code 33 is for Australian visas, not Canada.
- It costs A$57 online, and most certificates are done within 48 hours and emailed to you.
- It must be less than 6 months old when you apply, so don’t order it too early.
- If it isn’t back in time, you can upload your receipt or confirmation email and send the certificate later, before the deadline IRCC gives you.
- IRCC won’t accept “complete disclosure” certificates.
Lived in Queensland or Victoria? IRCC also asks for your driving record: a traffic history if you’ve lived in Queensland, or a full licence history search if you’ve lived in Victoria, going back to your 18th birthday or your first licence. If you never held a licence there, get a letter from the roads authority saying so.
Biometrics in Australia: Sydney, Melbourne or Perth
Australians have to give fingerprints and a photo (CA$85). In Australia you can only do it at a Canada visa application centre run by VFS Global, and there are just three:
- Sydney: Level 1, 171 Clarence Street
- Melbourne: Level 5, 332 St Kilda Road
- Perth: St Georges Terrace (VFS lists two addresses, so check your appointment letter)
There’s no centre in Brisbane, Adelaide or Canberra, so book early if you need to travel. Appointments are compulsory but free, and you have 30 days from your biometric instruction letter. If you’ve given biometrics for Canada in the last 10 years, you may not need to do it again.
Do You Need a Medical?
Usually not. You only need an IRCC medical exam (with an approved panel physician) if you plan to work in health care, schools, child care or aged care, or if you’ve lived in or travelled to certain countries for 6 months or more in a row in the year before you go. Australia isn’t on that list, but popular backpacker countries like Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and India are. So if you’ve just spent six months in Bali or Southeast Asia, check before you apply.
IEC Insurance for Australians
Insurance is compulsory and must cover medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation for your whole stay. If your policy is shorter than the time you’re eligible for, your work permit can be issued to end on the same day, and you can’t extend it later. Read our full IEC insurance guide for prices and the rules.
Two Australian options:
- Fast Cover: has a policy built for IEC. You buy 12 months, then extend it by another 12 months (up to 24 in total) within the 30 days before your departure date, subject to Fast Cover’s approval. Extend it before you fly, so the policy you show at the border covers your whole permit. Most of the Aussies we know in Canada went with Fast Cover.
- Cover-More Great Stay (sold through Letz Travel): for 18 to 35-year-olds, for up to 24 months. Read the policy wording for the conditions before you buy.
Arriving in Canada
Your work permit is issued at the airport when you land. Have these in your hand luggage, not your checked bag:
- your POE letter and passport
- proof of insurance for your whole stay
- a bank statement issued no more than a week before you fly, showing at least CA$2,500 for your first 3 months
- a return ticket, or proof you can afford one
Check every detail on your permit before you leave the counter, especially the end date. Air Canada flies non-stop to Vancouver every day from Sydney and year-round from Brisbane, which makes Vancouver the easiest landing spot from Australia.
Finding Somewhere to Stay When You Arrive
Book a hostel or short stay for your first couple of weeks rather than signing a lease from Australia, so you can see apartments in person and avoid rental scams. Booking.com and Hostelworld are good for the first few nights. Our guides to moving to Vancouver and moving to Toronto cover the best areas and what rent costs.
Getting Your SIN
You need a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to work in Canada. It’s free, and you can apply online (the fastest way), by post or in person at Service Canada with your work permit and passport. As a temporary resident, your SIN will start with a 9, and it expires on the same date as your work permit.
Opening a Bank Account
You have the right to open a bank account in Canada even if you don’t have a job yet. Bring your passport and work permit, and ideally a Canadian address and phone number. When we arrived we used the newcomer offers to get free banking, first with TD and then with CIBC, and the offers are much better now. Compare the current deals in our guide to the best bank in Canada for newcomers.
Sending Money From Australia to Canada
Australian banks are known for poor exchange rates on international transfers. Send your savings with Wise for everyday amounts, and get a TorFX quote for larger sums (no transfer fees and your own account manager). Always compare the amount that will actually land in Canadian dollars. More in our guide to the cheapest way to send money to Canada.
Shipping Your Luggage From Australia
Two years in Canada means winter clothes, and airline excess baggage fees add up fast. Send My Bag is usually cheaper for sending extra suitcases or boxes, and our link gets you 5% off. Pack a warm jacket in your hand luggage if you’re landing in winter.
Canada Working Holiday for Australians: FAQ
Can Australians get a working holiday visa for Canada?
Yes. Australian citizens aged 18 to 35 can apply for an IEC Working Holiday permit of up to 24 months. You can do it once (plus one International Co-op placement if you’re eligible).
How long does the Canadian working holiday visa take for Australians?
After an invitation you have 10 days to accept and 20 days to submit. IRCC’s service standard is 56 days, and in October 2026 it was quoting around 6 weeks, so allow 2 to 3 months from invitation to your POE letter.
Which police check do I need for Canada?
An AFP National Police Certificate, name check only, using code 35 (overseas employment or visa, for supply to a country other than Australia). It costs A$57 and must be less than 6 months old when you apply.
Where do Australians give biometrics for Canada?
At a VFS Global Canada visa application centre in Sydney, Melbourne or Perth. Appointments are free but compulsory.
Is there a limit on Australian IEC places?
Yes, from 2026. The 2026 quota for Australians on the working holiday is 5,820 places. Before that the number of places was unlimited.
Some useful links for moving to Canada from Australia on IEC visa:
Booking.com – Perfect alternative to Airbnb when you need a short place to stay.
Hostelworld – If you need a cheap place to stay where you can meet other travellers, Hostelworld is the best.
Scotiabank unsecured credit card – You will need a credit card in Canada! Scotiabank have a great one specifically for travel.
Wise – Send money abroad at the real exchange rate, with the fee shown up front.
TorFX – Another great money transfer company for larger transfers. No transfer fees, plus a dedicated account manager.
FastCover – Our recommended travel insurance!
Sendmybag – Best company to ship your excess luggage to and from Australia. Follow our link for 5% discount of your shipment.
Safe travels and good luck with your working holiday visa in Canada!
Before we let you go, make sure to check us out on Facebook, Instagram for updates on our travels.
P.S. All our Canada posts are in one place in our complete guide to a working holiday in Canada.
- Working holiday in Canada: the complete guide (all our Canada posts in one place)
- Working holiday visa in Canada: 15 things to know
- Australia vs Canada
- Best IEC travel insurance for Canada