Foreign nationals working in Canada on International Experience Canada (IEC) work permits now have the convenience of receiving permits for subsequent participations from within the country, thanks to a recently-extended policy.

To qualify under this policy, applicants must be physically present in Canada, hold an existing IEC work permit, and have received a letter of introduction (LOI) for their subsequent IEC work permit application. They are required to request examination and document issuance using IRCC’s web form before the expiry of their LOI.

The policy, which was first implemented in the spring of 2024 and was initially set to expire on December 1, 2025, has been extended on February 10, 2026, with no set expiration date. Prior to this policy, IEC participants within Canada had to leave the country to activate their subsequent work permits.

Since the ban on flagpoling was initiated on December 23, 2024, IEC applicants within Canada have not been allowed to activate their subsequent work permits by re-entering Canada from the United States or from St Pierre and Miquelon.