Canada has recently announced the launch of two new work permit pathways aimed at youth from Portugal and Taiwan. These pathways fall under the ‘Young Professionals’ stream of the International Experience Canada (IEC) program.

The two pathways are the Young Professionals Taiwanese Global Pathfinder Initiative (TGPI) pathway for Taiwanese nationals and the Young Professionals Inov Contacto pathway for Portuguese nationals.

Youth from these countries can now access employer-specific work permits under the Young Professionals stream, subject to meeting the new eligibility criteria. They can also apply for work permits under the standard criteria for the Young Professionals stream and other IEC work permit streams.

Here is a summary of the new pathways:

Program name	Eligible countries	Eligible age group	Type of work permit	Maximum work permit validity period
Young Professionals Inov Contacto	Portugal	18 to 29 years	Employer-specific	24 months
Young Professionals TGPI Program	Taiwan	18 to 30 years	Employer-specific	12 months

It is important to note that participants from Taiwan and Portugal can only engage in the IEC program once, as per their respective agreements with Canada.

Inov Contacto (Portuguese nationals)

The Young Professionals Inov Contacto pathway offers Portuguese youth (aged 18-29) the opportunity to undertake nine-month internships with selected companies through an employer-specific work permit program. The internships, funded by AICEP Portugal, cover all associated costs, including travel, insurance, and living expenses in Canada. The participating Canadian companies are yet to be disclosed by AICEP.

To qualify for the Young Professionals Inov Contacto pathway, Portuguese nationals must be enrolled in the Inov Contacto program, secure an internship offer from an eligible company, and meet specific age requirements.