We consider that a candidate’s habitual residence is in France if he/she lives in France, or if he/she is temporarily in a foreign country (i.e. for studies or short-term work).

I live in the “outre-mer” or the “collectivités territoriales”. Can I participate to the IEC initiative?

You are eligible to participate if you live in the DOM or Saint Pierre and Miquelon. The Canada-France Youth Mobility Agreement does not apply to residents of the COM (except Saint Pierre and Miquelon), the TAAF, New Caledonia, or citizens and residents of Monaco and Andorra.

I am in Canada/in another country. Can I participate to the IEC initiative without coming back to France?

If your usual place of residence is France and you are temporarily out of the country, you may apply from the country in which you are. You can download the participation kit on our website and send your completed application by mail to the address indicated in the instructions. If your application is accepted, you will receive your Letter of Introduction by email. If you are already in Canada, you will have to leave the country with this letter and present it to an Immigration Officer at a point of re-entry to Canada (i.e. a border crossing) in order to obtain your temporary work permit.

I have applied for permanent residence status and I’m waiting for my file to be processed. Can I go to Canada in the meantime under the IEC initiative?

The IEC initiative categories are not designed to provide work permits to those waiting for permanent residence status. However, if you meet the eligibility criteria of the categories, you are welcome to submit an application to participate.

Studies/Students

I am a French citizen on a student exchange in Canada. I would like to do an internship as a requirement for my studies in France. Is this possible?

Yes. You may apply to the “Internship/On-the-Job Training” category. To download the application kit, click here.

In addition to the required documents, you must also include a copy of the letter from your post-secondary Canadian educational institution indicating that you are enrolled in a student exchange program with that institution. You can send your completed application by mail.

I currently have a valid study permit. Can I apply to an IEC initiative category?

You may apply to an IEC category if your study permit is still valid since a permit request does not cancel an ongoing permit. However, within the framework of the IEC initiative, you are not authorized to have two permits in progress at the same time. If you are accepted to an IEC category, you will have to hand in your study permit to the Immigration Officer at the port of entry before obtaining your work permit within the framework of the IEC initiative.

I currently have a valid study permit. Is it possible to have a work permit within the framework of the IEC initiative at the same time?

No. Within the framework of the IEC initiative, you are not authorized to have two valid permits in progress at the same time. You may apply for the work permit since a permit request does not cancel an ongoing permit. However, if you are accepted to an IEC category, once you arrive at the port of entry, you will have to hand in your study permit to the Immigration officer before obtaining your work permit within the framework of the IEC initiative.

I applied to participate to the IEC initiative. Can I leave for Canada before receiving my Letter of Introduction?

It is mandatory that you wait until you have received the Letter of Introduction before you leave in order to obtain the work permit at the point of entry in Canada; otherwise, you might be denied entry to Canada.

I am a foreign student enrolled in a French institution but I am not a citizen of France. I want to do an internship/work term in Canada. Am I eligible to participate to the IEC initiative?

If you are not a French citizen, you are not eligible to participate to the IEC initiative because these programs fall under the framework of a bilateral agreement between Canada and France. This agreement is based on reciprocity and applies only to citizens of Canada and France. However, there are other possibilities for obtaining an internship with a company:

Canada has signed youth mobility agreements with a number of countries. To find out if your country is one of them, please consult the website of the Canadian Embassy in your country. For the list of Canadian Embassies worldwide: www.international.gc.ca/world/embassies/menu-en.asp
If Canada has not signed a youth mobility agreement with your country, your employer will need to obtain a confirmation of your internship offer from the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) – Service Canada. Upon the reception of this confirmation, you will have to send your application for a temporary work permit to the Visas and Immigration Service of the Embassy of Canada in France. Please note that you will not be applying under the IEC initiative and will therefore have to pay the appropriate processing fees.
There are also “multilateral” organizations concerned with youth mobility that may be able to assist you.
In an post-secondary institution in Canada: Certain post-secondary institutions in France have signed agreements with post-secondary institutions in Canada for the reciprocal exchange of interns. We suggest you find out from the International Relations Office of your institution, whether such an agreement exists. If it does, you must submit a copy of the agreement along with your application for a work permit to the Visas and Immigration Service at the Embassy of Canada in France, and include the name of at least one Canadian who is or will be doing an internship at your post-secondary institution this year. Please note that this approach does not fall under the Youth Mobility Programs and you must therefore pay them the appropriate fees. The forms are available here.

Multiple Participations

I am currently in Canada with a temporary work permit under the IEC initiative. Can I participate in a second category while my current permit is still valid?

Yes. You may apply to participate in a second category, while you are in Canada and your current permit is still valid. An application to a second category does not annul the validity of your current permit. If you are in Canada when you receive your Letter of Introduction by email, you will have to leave the country with this letter and present it to an Immigration Officer at a point of re-entry to Canada (i.e. a border crossing) in order to obtain your new temporary work permit. Issuing the new permit will annul the previous one, regardless of its initial duration. Please note that you may participate in 2 different categories.

I obtained a Letter of Introduction within the framework of the IEC initiatives but wasn’t able to go to Canada. May I present a new application under the same category in the future?

No. As of quota 2010, the issuance of your Letter of Introduction counts as your participation in the category for which you obtained it, even if you didn’t present this letter at a port of entry to Canada. As a result, you will no longer be able to re-apply to the same category if your letter was already issued to you because, according to the terms of the Canada-France Youth Mobility Agreement, you may only participate once in a given category.

NOTE: This policy is not retroactive. It came into effect upon the opening of the 2010 quota. If your Letter of Introduction was issued under the 2004 - 2009 quotas (inclusively) but you did not present it at a port of entry to Canada, you may submit another application to the category for which the original letter was issued. You must meet all the eligibility criteria and repay the participation fee.

Common-law Partners/Spouses

What does “accompany” mean within the framework of the IEC initiative?

With the framework of the IEC iniative, the verb “accompany” means “to be dependent on” or “to be reliant on”. On the Declaration Form, when you tick that you will not be “accompanied” to Canada, you acknowledge that no individual will be reliant on you. In other words, you declare knowing that no other individual may benefit from a status, visa or permit (i.e. work or study) based on the simple fact of going to Canada with you. In this sense, you cannot be “accompanied” to Canada as each of your dependants is responsible for obtaining his/her own status in Canada.

Your dependants can go with you to Canada but each person is responsible for his/her own application and/or his/her own status (please see the explanations below).

I would like to apply to the IEC initiative. Can my family come with me?

Yes, your family can come to Canada with you. However, each of your dependants (spouse/common-law partner/child/children) will have to obtain his/her own status. Please see the scenarios below.

I would like to apply to the IEC initiative. Can my partner* come with me? (*The word ‘’partner’’ designates a spouse or common-law partner.)

Yes, he/she can come with you. However, your partner will have to obtain his/her own status.

I would like to apply to the IEC initiative. Can my partner* come with me without a work permit? (*The word ‘’partner’’ designates a spouse or common-law partner.)

Yes. At the time of applying, you must indicate that you are a couple by:

Completing all the boxes in the appropriate column in section 1 of the IEC application form.
Attaching 2 identity photos of your spouse, as per the requirements set out by Citizenship and Immigration Canada: www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/photospecs-e.pdf. These photos must be stapled to the bottom of your application form, face-up, next to yours. Each of the photos must have the signature of your partner on the back.
Attaching a legible photocopy of the identification pages of his/her passport (family name, given name(s), date of birth, issuance and expiry dates). If your partner would like to remain in Canada for as long as you, his/her passport must be valid long enough to cover this period.

Your partner will be considered a temporary resident (visitor, tourist) in Canada and will not be able to work there. The duration of his/her visitor status will be determined by the Immigration Officer at the port of entry to Canada. For more information on temporary residence status in Canada, please click here: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/france/visas/trv-apply_demande-vrt.aspx

Does my partner require a temporary resident visa (visitor visa) to come to Canada with me?

To know if your partner requires a temporary resident visa, please click here: www.cic.gc.ca/english/visit/visas.asp
If so, he/she must comply with the instructions found here:
www.international.gc.ca/canada-europa/france/visas/visa_euro-en.asp
If not, please read carefully the information regarding temporary residence status in Canada: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/france/visas/trv-apply_demande-vrt.aspx

My partner will come to Canada with me and wishes to work there. What are his/her options?

If your partner wishes to work in Canada, there are two options for him/her:

He/she can submit his/her own application to one of the IEC initiative categories: www.amb-canada.fr/youth. He/she must meet all of the eligibility criteria for the category to which he/she is applying and comply with all the instructions. In this instance, you may submit your applications in the same envelope.
He/she may submit an application for a temporary work permit outside of the IEC initiative. All the information related to this can be found here: www.canadainternational.gc.ca/france/visas/work-other_travailler-autre.aspx. In this instance, your partner must send his/her application directly to the Visas and Immigration Service of the Canadian Embassy in France and pay them the fees related to his/her application. Your partner will have to mention that you have submitted an application to the IEC initiatives. Your partner’s application will be processed independently of yours.

In the two cases above, at the time of applying, you will have to indicate that you are in a couple by completing all the boxes in the appropriate column in section 1 of the IEC application form.

Children

I would like to apply to the IEC initiative. Can my family come with me?

Yes, your family can come to Canada with you. However, each of your dependants (spouse/common-law partner/child/children) will have to obtain his/her own status. Please see the scenarios below.

I would like to apply to the IEC initiative. May my child come with me? What will his/her status be?

Yes, your child may come to Canada with you. However, each of your dependants (spouse/common-law partner/child/children) will have to obtain his/her own status.

At the time of applying, you must indicate that your child will come to Canada with you by:

Completing all the boxes in the appropriate column in section 1 of the IEC application form.
Attaching 2 identity photos of your child, as per the requirements set out by Citizenship and Immigration Canada: www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/photospecs-e.pdf. These photos must be stapled to the bottom of your application form, face-up, next to yours.
Attaching a legible photocopy of the identification pages of his/her passport (family name, given name(s), date of birth, issuance and expiry dates). If you would like your child to remain in Canada for as long as you, his/her passport must be valid long enough to cover this period.

If your child is under 6 years old, he/she will be considered a visitor. He/she may attend nursery school, as per the system in place in your province/territory of stay. He/she will not have a student status. The Immigration Officer at the port of entry will ask you to prove that you will be able to provide for the needs of your child during your entire stay in Canada (financial means, fixed accommodation, who will take care of the child while you work, etc.). The duration of your child’s visitor status will also be decided at this stage by the Immigration Officer at the border.

If your child is over 6 years old, he/she is of schooling age. It will therefore be obligatory to obtain a study permit for your child before his/her entry to Canada in order that he/she may attend an educational institution there. Your child will consequently have a “student” status. To apply for a study permit, please click here.

The Immigration Officer at the port of entry will ask you to prove that you will be able to provide for the needs of your child, who will be considered a student, throughout your entire stay in Canada (financial means, fixed accommodation, who will take care of the child while you work, etc.). The duration of your child’s status will also be decided at this stage by the Immigration Officer at the border.

NOTE: Minors (under 18 years of age) travelling alone or with a person other than their parents or legal guardians should have a letter of authorization, preferably in English or French, signed by both parents or legal guardians. It should also include the name of the adult who will be responsible for the children in Canada. Minors travelling with only one parent or legal guardian should have a letter of authorization, preferably in English or French, from the non accompanying parent or guardian.

IEC Application Form

Can I fill out my application form by hand?

You are asked to complete the form on a computer. However, if this is impossible, you may fill in the remaining fields by writing LEGIBLY.

Passport

Where do I find the passport number that I have to write on my IEC Application Form?

In the French passport, the passport number is located in the top right-hand corner of page 2, in the section "Passeport no".

I am currently renewing my passport. Can I submit my application with a photocopy of my previous passport, my national identity card and/or a letter stating that my new passport is being renewed?

No. You must submit a photocopy of the appropriate pages of your new passport, otherwise your application will be considered incomplete. The paid participation fees will be reimbursed and your application will be returned to you by mail.

Medical Examination

Do I need a medical examination? Can you send me a list of designated medical practitioners?

If a medical examination is required, for example if you intend to work in health or childcare, or teach at the elementary or secondary level, the Visa and Immigration Services will send you the appropriate form, instructions and a list of designated medical practitioners.

Submit/Cancel an Application

I am/will be in Paris, can I drop off my completed application at the Embassy?

No. Out of fairness, participation applications to the IEC initiative are ONLY accepted by mail.

Proof of Payment

What is a "proof of payment"?

A proof of payment is the document generated by the bank that issued the wire transfer, showing that you have paid the IEC participation fee.

Why must I send you my proof of payment?

Our payment processing system is not linked to banking institutions. Therefore, uploading your proof of payment via our secure online form is the only way to inform us that you have indeed paid the participation fee. Successfully uploading your proof of payment via our secure online form will automatically initiate the final verification of your file before it is forwarded to the Visa and Immigration Section for the second evaluation phase.

What elements do I have to check before I send my proof of payment via your secure online form?

A – Is my file scanned correctly?
It is possible that a file might not correspond to the original after it has been scanned. For example, the scanned version of the document could be truncated, cut off and recomposed in a manner that does not match the original, etc.

Before sending us your proof of payment, use Acrobat Reader to open and check that the scanned and PDF-formatted document matches the original. If you notice that the PDF version of your document does not match the original, you must start the process again; that is to say, scan it again. In order to ensure that the size of your file is less than 500 KB, we suggest that you configure your machine to scan your document in “black-and-white” and with a resolution between 150 and 300 dpi. It is not necessary to scan your document in colour.

B – Is my file in PDF format?
Please note that our system only accepts documents in PDF format (Portable Document Format). To convert a file to PDF format, it is not enough to change the file extension to .pdf.

Below are the steps to follow in order to convert your proof of payment to PDF format:

Scenario 1: Your proof of payment is a paper document You must scan your proof of payment using a scanner. Some scanners give you the option of saving the document in PDF format. If this is not the case with your machine, scan your document to JPG format, then insert this JPG image into a Word, OpenOffice, WordPerfect, or other word processing software document. Once the image is inserted, use the function in your word processing software to convert this document to PDF format.

Scenario 2: You have paid the participation fee online
You must send us a copy of the screen showing the details of the wire transfer.

Below are the steps to follow in order to copy the screen and save it in PDF format:

PC / Windows

To copy the screen, click on “Print screen Syst “or “Print Screen” etc. (near the “F12“ key). Next, insert the image into a Word, OpenOffice, WordPerfect or other word processing software document, by either simultaneously holding down on the "Ctrl+V" keys or right-clicking your mouse and choosing "Paste".

Next, use the function in your word processing software to convert this document to PDF format. (If your software doesn’t have this function, you can use one of the many PDF conversion services available online. An Internet search using “online PDF conversion” will allow you to find these free services.)

Or

If you have already saved a copy of your screenshot:

Your file is in HTML format: Open it with your Word, OpenOffice, WordPerfect or any other word processing software.

Your file is in JPG, PNG, BMP or GIF format: Insert this image into a Word, OpenOffice, WordPerfect or any other word processing software document.

Next, use the function in your word processing software to convert this document to PDF format. (If your software doesn’t have this function, you can use one of the many PDF conversion services available online. An Internet search using “online PDF conversion” will allow you to find these free services.)

Mac

To copy the screen, simultaneously hold down on the "APPLE + SHIFT + 3" keys. Next, insert the image into a Word, OpenOffice, or any other word processing software document, by either simultaneously holding down the "APPLE + V" keys or right-clicking your mouse and choosing "Paste".

Use the function in your word processing software to convert this document to PDF format. (If your software doesn’t have this function, you can use one of the many PDF conversion services available online. An Internet search using “online PDF conversion” will allow you to find these free services.)

Or

If you have already saved a copy of your screenshot:

Your file is in HTML format: Open it with your Word, OpenOffice or any other word processing software.

If your file is in JPG, PNG, BMP or GIF format: Insert this image into a Word, OpenOffice or any other word processing software document.

Use the function in your word processing software to convert this document to PDF format. (If your software doesn’t have this function, you can use one of the many PDF conversion services available online. An Internet search using “online PDF conversion” will allow you to find these free services.)

C - Is my PDF file password-protected?
We have noticed that files that are protected hinder the functioning of our payment processing system.

To determine whether your file is password-protected, open the PDF document using Acrobat Reader. If it is protected, you will see "(SECURED)" written next to the title of your document and a padlock on the left-hand side of your screen (see image below).

If you notice that your file is password-protected, you must re-start the conversion process. First, de-activate the security features of your PDF conversion tool. Then, re-save your document in PDF format. Finally, upload your PDF-formatted proof of payment via our secure online form.

D – Does my file contain a virus or malicious software ("malware")?
Our server verifies all uploaded documents and deletes those that could be infected by a virus or malicious software (“malware”). We ask that you scan your file with anti-virus software before sending it to us. If our system detects a virus or malicious software in your uploaded file, it will delete the file automatically.

If you do not have anti-virus software installed on your computer, please note that it can be found free of charge on the Internet for Mac, Windows or Linux operating systems. There are also online anti-viral analysis services for individual files. An Internet search using "free online anti-virus" will allow you to find these free applications and services.

E – Is my Internet connection stable?
To avoid your file from becoming corrupted as it is uploading, ensure that you are using a computer with a stable Internet connection. An unstable Internet connection might cause problems resulting in truncated files, illegible proofs of payment, etc.

F – Is my file the right size (under 500 KB)?
To determine the size of your file, look at the properties of the document. If you notice that it is bigger than 500 KB, it will be necessary to scan your proof of payment again.

In order to ensure that the size of your file is less than 500 KB, we suggest that you configure your machine to scan your document in "black-and-white” and with a resolution between 150 and 300 dpi. It is not necessary to scan your document in colour.

Visa or Permit? Which permit?

What is the difference between a visa and a permit?

A temporary resident visa is a counterfoil or sticker placed in a passport or travel document which allows certain foreign nationals to travel to Canada.

A permit is a document which confirms that the foreign national is authorized to work or study in Canada. One or both may be required and one cannot be a substitute for the other. As a French citizen applying to the IEC initiative, you are applying for a temporary work permit and not a visa or study permit. French citizens do not need a visa to enter Canada.

Employment in Canada

Can you provide me with a list of employers? Can you help me find a job/internship?

It is not the Embassy’s mandate to provide a list of job/internship offers. Nonetheless, there are a number of organizations involved with youth mobility that can provide support during the steps of your application process for a work permit, and/or help you find a job/internship.

What kind of jobs can I hold with the WHP? Are there restrictions on the duration of the employment contracts, the language of the workplace, the location or the number of employers I can have?

No. The WHP is valid for any type of job. This is regardless of the duration of the contract, the language or the location. There are no restrictions on the total number of employers for whom you can work within the 12 month period either.

Are there any restrictions on the type of employment I can hold in Canada?

No. However, certain professions in Canada are regulated. To learn more about this, please click here.

Offers of Employment

I have an employment offer that only mentions a piece-work rate. I have a job offer that mentions an hourly wage, but doesn’t mention the number of hours worked per week. Do you need the employment offer to be more precise?

Yes. The employment offer must indicate at least an average salary earned over a given period (hour, day, week or month), along with the number of hours worked per week, in order to show that you will have sufficient financial resources during your contract.

Pre-Departure

What is a Letter of Introduction?

A Letter of Introduction is a document issued by the Visas and Immigration Service, confirming that your application for a work or study permit has been approved. It notifies you that you may leave for Canada in order to work, study or do both, upon its reception. You must present your Letter of Introduction to an Immigration Officer at a point of entry to Canada (airport, land crossing). The work or study permit will be issued to you by the Immigration Officer upon presentation of your Letter of Introduction and the other required documents.

What type of insurance must I have before leaving for Canada?

You must have and maintain insurance for the entire duration of your stay in Canada. Your insurance policy must cover you for:

Health care, hospitalization and repatriation;
The Canadian territory (the policy should specify North America, Canada/USA or worldwide);
The entire duration of your stay in Canada.

You must be able to provide proof of this insurance to the Immigration Officer upon your entry to Canada.
To learn more about different insurance options, please consult l’Assurance maladie en ligne website www.ameli.fr. You can also consult la Maison des Français de l'Étranger (MFE): www.mfe.org. Please note that the Embassy does not have the mandate of providing a list of insurers.

Early Departure

I applied to participate to the IEC initiative. Can I leave for Canada before receiving my Letter of Introduction?

My employment/internship/on-the-job training is starting soon but my application for a temporary work permit is currently being processed at the Canadian Embassy. Can I go to Canada before I receive my Letter of Introduction?

Entering Canada

Do I need a machine readable and/or a biometric passport to enter Canada?

No, a machine readable and/or a biometric passport is not required to enter Canada.

Extending/Renewing a Job Offer

I am currently in Canada with a work permit issued under the Working Holiday category. My employer would like me to continue working after the permit expires. Is this possible? What should I do?

Keeping in mind that a work permit cannot be renewed or extended under the Working Holiday category, two possibilities remain:

If you are eligible, you may apply for a work permit under the Young Professionals category. You may send your application for this new work permit from Canada. Eligible citizens may participate in two different categories, but their stays must be discontinuous. Click here for more information.
If you wish to prolong your stay in Canada, you must apply for an extension at least 30 days before the expiry date of your current status by contacting the Case Processing Center at the following address: CPC Vegreville, 6212, 55th Avenue, Vegreville, Alberta T9C 1W5 CANADA. For more information, you can contact the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) call center at 1-888-242-2100 or consult the CIC website by clicking here.

Please note that your employer must first obtain a favourable Labour Market Opinion (LMO) from Service Canada in order for you to submit an application for a temporary work permit.

I am in Canada with a work permit under the Young Professionals category (or Professional Development). Can I extend the validity of my work permit to enable me to continue working? How can I do this?

You may extend the validity of your temporary work permit to a maximum of 18 months by following the instructions on this page.

Please note that you may not change employers. You will not have to pay additional fees for this extension. You will, however, have to mention that your temporary work permit in Canada was issued within the framework of DFAIT's International Experience Canada (IEC) initiative and is therefore exempt of treatment fees by Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) according to article 299-2)(i) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

Studying in Canada and IEC

Is it possible to enroll in courses during my stay in Canada while under the IEC initiative?

Yes. However, the courses must be part-time and considered as personal development/growth. Your courses cannot be part of a university degree. If you are in Canada under the Working Holiday category, you may enroll in language courses over a short period of time, i.e. less than six months.

Staying in Canada after the Expiration of your Permit

Can I stay in Canada as a tourist after the expiration of my temporary work permit?

Yes, you may change your status in Canada by following the instructions on this page.

Permanent Residence

I participated to the IEC initiative and now wish to apply for a permanent residence status in Canada. How do I go about doing this?

To learn more about how to apply for a permanent residence status in Canada, please consult the Citizenship and Immigration website of the Embassy of Canada in France.

Technical Issues

What is the purpose of the barcode?

The barcode encodes the number you see underneath the barcode, in other words, the number of your application kit. It does not lead to a link nor URL. If you have a gray square instead of the barcode (MAC users), it will not impede the analysis of your file as long as the number below the grey square is visible. It is the number that is important because it links your personal information to your application kit.

I am not able to display the application kit, what should I do?

Make sure you are using a recent version of Adobe Reader (version 8 or higher).
Personalised IEC application kits cannot be fully downloaded using the Google Chrome web browser. The application kit will appear on your screen but certain required fields will remain blank whereas the information provided must appear clearly in order for us to analyse your file. Please use another web browser when downloading your personnalised application kit and forms.

For Mac Users: Configuring Adobe Reader as the Default PDF Reader for a Mac OS X. Here is how you can do it.

Open Finder and in the “Documents” section, select a PDF file with a single click. Now that the PDF is highlighted, go to the “File” menu and select “Get Info”.
In the information window for your file, you will see the current default setting for opening PDF files under the “Open with” heading. (If you do not see your current PDF setting, you must click on the triangle on the left to reveal the default setting.)
Click on the default application to view the list of alternative applications. If Adobe Reader appears in this list, select it. If it does not appear in this list, select “Other”and go to Step 4 below ; otherwise, go to Step 5.
If you have selected “Other”, an applications window will open. From here, locate the icon for the Adobe Reader application. Click to highlight, then click “Add”. You will now return to the information window of your PDF file.
Select “Change all” to configure Adobe Reader as your default PDF reader.
Click “Continue” to confirm setting changes.

Some of the fields on my application form are blank and I can’t fill them in on the screen. What should I do?

Your personalised application form is composed of two files: a pdf file and a data file. The data file contains the personal information that you provided during Step 2 of the application process. Your web browser inserts the data (i.e. your personal information) into the pdf application form via Adobe’s Acrobat Reader.

If your application form is blank, there are a few reasons why this may have happened:

There is a yellow bar with a warning message across the top of my application form.

The latest versions of Acrobat Reader 8 and 9 have an added security feature that prevents the automatic insertion of information into a pdf document without the user’s authorisation.

When the browser attempts to insert the data, a yellow warning bar appears along the top of the pdf form. Because this warning bar is highlighted in yellow, users often don’t notice it (see sample image below).

To authorise the insertion of your personal information into your pdf application form, click on “Options” in the yellow warning bar and then select “Add host to Privileged Locations” (recommended) or “Trust this document one time only”.

The data transfer will then be completed and the personal information that you provided during Step 2 will appear on your application form. You can then continue filling out the rest of the form.
My pdf application form is blank and there is no yellow warning bar across the top of my application form.

This may have happened either because you used the “back” button on your web browser (←) or because you bookmarked (added as a “favourite”) the personalised link that you received in your email after completing Step 2.

You must click on the link provided in your email every time you wish to access your personalised application kit and form. It is the action of clicking on the link that triggers the transfer of your personal information from our server to your application form.

Your personal details are not saved on the page link that we provided you. They are stored on one of our virtual servers and transferred to create your personalised application kit each time you click on your personalised link. This continues to be the case until we receive your paper application at the Youth Mobility Unit, or until the quota for the year has been reached.

If you wish, you can also save your pre-filled application form directly onto your computer. In this case, the personal details that you entered during Step 2 will remain on your application form.

I received an error message informing me that there is a problem with my uploaded file. What can I do to solve it?

You have received an error message for one of the following reasons:

Your file is truncated or illegible.
Your file is locked or not in PDF format.
Your file contains a virus or malicious software (“malware”).

Before attempting to upload your file again, please ensure that you have verified the following 6 points:

Is my file scanned correctly?

It is possible that a file might not correspond to the original after it has been scanned. For example, the scanned version of the document could be truncated, cut off and recomposed in a manner that does not match the original, etc.

Before sending us your proof of payment, use Acrobat Reader to open and check that the scanned and PDF-formatted document matches the original. If you notice that the PDF version of your document does not match the original, you must re-scan your proof of payment. Please consult part A of "Question: What elements do I have to check before I send my proof of payment via your secure online form?" to follow the procedure on how to scan your proof of payment correctly.
Is my file legible?
It is possible that by reducing the size of your file, you rendered it illegible. To solve this problem, you must re-scan your proof of payment. However, you must first configure your machine to scan your document in "black-and-white" and with a resolution between 150 and 300 dpi. It is not necessary to scan your document in colour.
Is my Internet connection stable?
An unstable Internet connection might cause problems resulting in truncated files, illegible proofs of payment, etc. To avoid your file from becoming corrupted as it is uploading, ensure that you are using a computer with a stable Internet connection.
Is my file in PDF format?

Please note that due to technical reasons, our system only accepts documents in PDF format (Portable Document Format). To convert a file to PDF format, it is not enough to change the file extension to .pdf.

Please consult part B of "Question: What elements do I have to check before I send my proof of payment via your secure online form?" to follow the procedure on how to convert your proof of payment to PDF format .
Is my PDF file password-protected?

We have noticed that files that are protected hinder the functioning of our payment processing system.

To determine whether your file is password-protected, open the PDF document using Acrobat Reader. If it is protected, you will see "(SECURED)" written next to the title of your document and a padlock on the left-hand side of your screen (see image below).

If you notice that your file is password-protected, you must re-start the conversion process. First, de-activate the security features of your PDF conversion tool. Then, re-save your document in PDF format. Finally, upload your PDF-formatted proof of payment via our secure online form again.
Does my file contain a virus or malicious software ("malware")?

When our system detects a virus or malicious software in an uploaded file, it deletes the file automatically.

We ask that you scan your file with anti-virus software before sending it to us.

If you do not have anti-virus software installed on your computer, please note that it can be found free of charge on the Internet for Mac, Windows or Linux operating systems. There are also online anti-viral analysis services for individual files. An Internet search using "free online anti-virus" will allow you to find these free applications and services.

If, after having consulted the FAQ section, you still have not found an answer to your questions, please click here.

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ELIGIBILITY

Residency Requirement

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Children

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

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EMPLOYMENT AND WORK PERMITS

Visa or Permit? Which permit?

Employment in Canada

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DEPARTING FOR CANADA

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IEC PARTICIPANTS IN CANADA

Extending/Renewing a Job Offer

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Staying in Canada after the expiration of your permit

Permanent Residence

TECHNICAL ISSUES

Residency Requirement

Studies/Students

Multiple Participations

Common-law Partners/Spouses

Children

IEC Application Form

Passport

Medical Examination

Submit/Cancel an Application

Proof of Payment

Visa or Permit? Which permit?

Employment in Canada

Offers of Employment

Pre-Departure

Early Departure

Entering Canada

Extending/Renewing a Job Offer

Studying in Canada and IEC

Staying in Canada after the Expiration of your Permit

Permanent Residence

Technical Issues

France

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Eligibility
Application Procedures
Participation Fee Payment
Employment and Work Permits
Departing for Canada
IEC Participants in Canada
Technical Issues