Canada updates police clearance requirements for International Experience Canada work permit applicants

Canada has updated its guidance on police certificate requirements for foreign nationals applying for work permits under the International Experience Canada (IEC) programme, providing greater clarity on when documents must be issued and submitted.

The updated instructions, published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on June 17, specify that a police certificate from an applicant's current country of residence must have been issued within six months before IRCC receives the work permit application. The earlier version of the guidance did not clearly state that the six-month validity period was linked to the date the application is received.

The immigration department has also clarified requirements for applicants who have lived in another country for six months or longer since turning 18. In such cases, the police certificate must have been issued after the applicant last lived in that country.


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Who it affects

The clarification applies to participants seeking work permits through the International Experience Canada programme, a youth mobility arrangement that allows eligible citizens of partner countries to temporarily live and work in Canada.

IRCC said the updated guidance also applies to US citizens and permanent residents applying for an IEC-specific work permit with the support of a recognised organisation. In addition, it covers applicants from countries that do not normally require an upfront police certificate but are later asked by an immigration officer to provide one.

However, US citizens and permanent residents are not required to submit a police certificate if the United States is the only country where they have lived.

Why police certificates matter

Police certificates are used by Canadian immigration authorities to assess whether an applicant is admissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. Individuals with criminal records that make them inadmissible may not be approved for an IEC work permit.

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In most cases, citizens of countries participating in the IEC programme must provide police certificates for every country or territory where they have spent six or more consecutive months since the age of 18.

About the IEC Programme

International Experience Canada is a bilateral youth mobility programme open to eligible citizens, generally aged 18 to 35, from partner countries. The programme offers young people an opportunity to gain work experience in Canada while providing similar opportunities for Canadians abroad.

To apply, candidates must create an IEC profile, enter the relevant candidate pool, receive an invitation to apply and submit a complete work permit application within 20 days of receiving the invitation.

Applicants must also meet all programme-specific eligibility requirements in addition to providing the required police certificates and supporting documents.

Applicants Advised to Prepare Early

IRCC stated that obtaining police certificates can take time, and applicants are encouraged to begin gathering the documents well before submitting their work permit application.

The department also reminded applicants that the online system provides only one upload field for police certificates. Those required to submit multiple certificates should combine them into a single file before uploading.