Hiring international mobile youth is a good alternative to address your labour needs. The Canadian government has a bilateral agreement with 16 countries allowing the exchange of youth to work and/or study abroad. The following chart outlines four types of work permits for international young workers: Working Holiday Program (WHP), Student Work Abroad Program (SWAP), Youth Worker (YW) and Co-Op.
These work permits do not require a Labour Market Opinion. Youth can apply directly for a work permit through local embassies without any of your involvement. Many tourism employers have recruited staff, especially for seasonal positions, using one of the youth mobility programs and have enjoyed the benefits and convenience of these programs.
This chart contains program information such as quota amount, release date, deadline, age limit, valid period, processing time and the Canadian Embassy locations. Terms and conditions vary depending on the country of origin.
Information in this chart will be updated on a regular basis as new agreements are established. Please check back often for updates.
For more info on youth mobility as well as other foreign worker programs, please also view: Understanding Foreign Worker Programs.
Note: The information below is first sorted by category then by country of origin.
Working Holiday Program (WHP)
| Country |
Quota |
Released |
Quota fills |
Age |
Validity |
| Australia |
Unlimited |
|
|
18-30 |
24 months |
| Belgium |
420 |
January |
late in the year |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Chile |
400 |
January |
Will be increased if needed |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Czech Republic |
1160 |
January |
late in the year |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Denmark |
400 |
January |
late in the year |
18-35 |
12 months |
| France |
7000 |
January |
February |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Germany |
5000 |
January |
Will be increased if needed |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Hong Kong |
200 |
January |
New program |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Ireland |
2000 |
January |
1 week |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Italy |
600 |
January |
fills late in the year |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Japan |
7250 |
January |
fills late in the year |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Korea |
2010 |
November |
immediately |
18-30 |
6 months |
| Latvia |
350 |
January |
immediately |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Netherlands |
600 |
November |
mid year |
18-30 |
12 months |
| New Zealand |
2500 |
January |
Late in the year |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Norway |
300 |
January |
late in the year |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Poland |
600 |
January |
Will be increased if needed |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Spain |
350 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Sweden |
500 |
January |
late in the year |
18-30 |
12 months |
| UK |
2000 |
January |
immediately |
18-30 |
12 months |
Student Work Abroad Program (SWAP)
| Country |
Quota |
Released |
Quota fills |
Age |
Validity |
| Argentina |
25 |
January |
yes (but quota based on demand) |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Austria |
70 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Brazil |
75 |
January |
Will not be offered from 2011 |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Bulgaria |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Costa Rica |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Chile |
Has been discontinued |
|
|
|
|
| Croatia |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Czech Republic |
0 |
Discontinued |
|
|
|
| Dominican Republic |
15 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Ecuador |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Finland |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Germany |
70 |
January |
Will not be offered from 2011 |
18-30 |
12 months |
| India |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Ireland |
2000 |
January |
1 week |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Jamaica |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Malaysia |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Mexico |
50 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Malta |
30 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Moldova |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Netherlands |
50 |
January |
yes (but quota based on demand) |
18-30 |
12 months |
| New Zealand |
250 |
January |
Cannot be used as repeat visa anymore |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Peru |
30 |
January |
yes (but quota based on demand) |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Poland |
0 |
Discontinued |
|
|
|
| Philippines |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Romania |
15 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Russia |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Slovenia |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Slovakia |
50 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Singapore |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Taiwan |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Thailand |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| South Africa |
50 |
January |
yes (but quota based on demand) |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Ukraine |
35 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| UK |
2000 |
January |
1 week |
18-35 |
12 months |
| USA |
300 |
January |
Some years |
18-30 |
12 months |
Young Workers & Co-Op
| Country |
Visa |
Quota |
Released |
Quota fills |
Age |
Validity |
| Australia |
Co-Op/YW |
Unlimited |
|
|
18-30 |
24 months |
| Austria |
Co-Op |
70 |
January |
not filled |
18+ |
12 months |
| |
YW |
|
|
|
18-30 |
12 months |
| Chile |
YW |
share of 400 |
January |
Will be increased if needed |
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
Co-Op |
|
|
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| Czech Republic |
YW |
40 |
January |
late in the year |
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
Co-Op |
|
|
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| Finland |
Co-Op |
25 |
January |
doesn't fill |
18-30 |
18 months |
| France |
YW |
2100 |
January |
mid year |
18-35 |
18 months |
| |
Co-Op |
4690 |
January |
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| Germany |
Co-Op |
share of 5000 |
January |
Will be increased if needed |
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
YW |
|
|
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| Latvia |
YW |
100 |
January |
doesn't fill |
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
Co-Op |
50 |
|
doesn't fill |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Netherlands |
YW |
share of 600 |
November |
mid year |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Norway |
YW |
share of 300 |
January |
late in the year |
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
Co-Op |
|
|
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| Poland |
YW |
share of 600 |
January |
Will be increased if needed |
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
Co-Op |
|
|
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| Spain |
YW |
share of 350 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
18 months |
| |
Co-Op |
|
|
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| Sweden |
Co-Op |
share of 500 |
January |
late in the year |
18-30 |
12 months |
| |
YW |
|
|
|
18-30 |
12 months |
| Switzerland |
YW |
350 |
January |
doesn't fill |
18-30 |
12 months |
| |
Co-Op |
|
|
|
|
|
Work permits available by country
| Country |
Visa |
Quota |
Released |
Quota fills |
Age |
Validity |
| Argentina |
SWAP |
25 |
January |
yes (but quota based on demand) |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Australia |
WHP |
Unlimited |
|
|
18-30 |
24 months |
| |
Co-Op/YW |
Unlimited |
|
|
18-30 |
24 months |
| Austria |
Co-Op |
70 |
January |
not filled |
18+ |
12 months |
| |
YW |
|
|
|
18-30 |
12 months |
| |
SWAP |
70 |
|
|
18-30 |
12 months |
| Belgium |
WHP |
420 |
January |
late in the year |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Brazil |
SWAP |
75 |
January |
Will not be offered from 2011 |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Bulgaria |
SWAP |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Chile |
WHP |
400 |
January |
Will be increased if needed |
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
YW |
|
|
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
Co-Op |
|
|
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| Costa Rica |
SWAP |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Croatia |
SWAP |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Czech Republic |
WHP |
1160 |
January |
late in the year |
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
YW |
40 |
January |
late in the year |
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
Co-Op |
|
|
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| Denmark |
WHP |
400 |
January |
late in the year |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Dominican Republic |
SWAP |
15 |
January |
new agreement |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Ecuador |
SWAP |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Finland |
Co-Op |
25 |
January |
doesn't fill |
18-30 |
18 months |
| |
SWAP |
25 |
January |
new agreement |
18-35 |
12 months |
| France |
WHP |
7000 |
January |
February |
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
YW |
2100 |
January |
mid year |
18-35 |
18 months |
| |
SWAP |
210 |
January |
|
18-35 |
3 months, summer |
| |
Co-Op |
4690 |
January |
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| Germany |
WHP |
5000 |
January |
Will be increased if needed |
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
Co-Op |
|
|
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
YW |
|
|
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
SWAP |
70 |
January |
Will not be offered from 2011 |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Hong Kong |
WHP |
200 |
January |
New program |
18-30 |
12 months |
| India |
SWAP |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Ireland |
SWAP |
2000 |
January |
1 week |
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
WHP |
2000 |
January |
1 week |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Italy |
WHP |
600 |
January |
fills late in the year |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Jamaica |
SWAP |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Japan |
WHP |
7250 |
January |
fills late in the year |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Korea |
WHP |
2010 |
November |
immediately |
18-30 |
6 months |
| Latvia |
WHP |
350 |
January |
immediately |
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
YW |
100 |
|
doesn't fill |
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
Co-Op |
50 |
|
doesn't fill |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Malaysia |
SWAP |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Mexico |
SWAP |
50 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Malta |
SWAP |
30 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Moldova |
SWAP |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Netherlands |
WHP |
600 |
November |
mid year |
18-30 |
12 months |
| |
YW |
|
|
|
18-30 |
12 months |
| |
SWAP |
50 |
January |
yes (but quota based on demand) |
18-30 |
12 months |
| New Zealand |
WHP |
2500 |
January |
Late in the year |
18-30 |
12 months |
| |
SWAP |
250 |
January |
no |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Norway |
WHP |
300 |
January |
late in the year |
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
YW |
|
|
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
Co-Op |
|
|
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| Peru |
SWAP |
30 |
January |
yes (but quota based on demand) |
18-30 |
6 months |
| Philippines |
SWAP |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Poland |
YW |
600 |
January |
Will be increased if needed |
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
Co-Op |
|
|
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
WHP |
|
|
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| Romania |
SWAP |
15 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Russia |
SWAP |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Slovenia |
SWAP |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Slovakia |
SWAP |
50 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Singapore |
SWAP |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Spain |
WHP |
350 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| |
YW |
|
|
|
18-35 |
18 months |
| |
SWAP |
|
|
|
18-35 |
3 months, summer |
| |
Co-Op |
|
|
|
18-35 |
12 months |
| South Africa |
SWAP |
50 |
January |
yes |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Sweden |
WHP |
500 |
January |
late in the year |
18-30 |
12 months |
| |
Co-Op |
|
|
|
18-30 |
12 months |
| |
YW |
|
|
|
18-30 |
12 months |
| Taiwan |
SWAP |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| Thailand |
SWAP |
25 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| UK |
SWAP |
2000 |
January |
immediately |
18-30 |
12 months |
| |
WHP |
2000 |
January |
immediately |
18-30 |
12 months |
| Ukraine |
SWAP |
35 |
January |
New |
18-35 |
12 months |
| USA |
SWAP |
300 |
January |
some years |
18-30 |
6 months |
| Switzerland |
YW |
350 |
January |
doesn't fill |
18-30 |
12 months |
| |
Co-Op |
|
|
|
|
|
