Over the past month, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) held new rounds of invitations under the International Experience Canada (IEC) program. From July 11 to August 14, 2026, Canada invited 4,307 young foreigners to apply for an IEC open work permit. As of August 14, 42,697 candidates were registered across IEC pools awaiting invitation.

Invitations Issued by Country (July 11 to August 14, 2026)

Figures above are drawn from IRCC’s IEC rounds of invitations update, published August 14, 2026.

Reading the Distribution

Korea, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom accounted for the largest single shares of this cycle’s invitations, together making up more than half of the 4,307 total. This pattern is consistent with IEC’s structure, since a small number of high demand countries typically hold the largest annual quotas and the deepest candidate pools, while lower volume countries like Andorra, Costa Rica, and Slovenia see only a handful of ITAs per round due to smaller bilateral allocations.

Practitioner Implications

For practitioners advising IEC candidates or employers relying on IEC hires, the uneven pace across countries matters for planning. Candidates from high quota, high demand pools such as Korea and France can expect continued rounds through the season, while candidates from smaller allocation countries may see fewer invitation opportunities remaining as 2026 quotas fill. Employers coordinating start dates with IEC hires should build in buffer time given that invitation timing varies significantly by nationality and category, and IEC candidates have only 10 days to accept an ITA once issued.

Official source: IRCC International Experience Canada: Rounds of Invitations

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