Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) has conducted the first International Experience Canada (IEC) draws of 2026, issuing invitations to thousands of young foreign nationals seeking open work permits in Canada.
Between January 1 and January 23, 2026, Canada invited 12,693 candidates from the IEC pools to apply for an IEC open work permit.
As of January 23, a total of 35,567 candidates were registered in the IEC pools and awaiting an invitation.
During these initial rounds, Invitations to Apply (ITAs) were issued to candidates from a wide range of participating countries, including:
Additional invitations were issued as follows:
These draws mark the first IEC invitations of 2026, with thousands of candidates now able to proceed with work permit applications under the Working Holiday, Young Professionals, and International Co-op categories.
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