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Do I qualify for a second IEC visa?

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  • 20-05-2015 1:52am
    #1
    cozz-man
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭


    Hi, I'm currently in Canada in the first year of my 2 year working holiday visa. (Arrived July 2014). When my current visa expires in July 2016 can I apply for another 2 year working holiday visa? Thanks for any help.


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    #2
    circular flexing
    Registered Users Posts: 2,587 ✭✭✭circular flexing


    cozz-man wrote: »
    Hi, I'm currently in Canada in the first year of my 2 year working holiday visa. (Arrived July 2014). When my current visa expires in July 2016 can I apply for another 2 year working holiday visa? Thanks for any help.

    No you are only allowed one 2 year visa.

    You were allowed two 1 year visas when they only issued them for a year but they changed to 2 year visas last year.


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    #3
    locoo
    Registered Users Posts: 35 ✭locoo


    I wondered the same. There is nothing to state that you cannot apply for a second two-year visa that I have found on the IEC website. Are you sure?


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    #4
    Eutow
    Registered Users Posts: 1,197 ✭✭✭Eutow


    locoo wrote: »
    I wondered the same. There is nothing to state that you cannot apply for a second two-year visa that I have found on the IEC website. Are you sure?


    Circular Flexing is correct. You are only entitled to (1) two year working holiday visa in Canada. Back when I applied, you got a one year visa only, then you had to wait till it opened the following year to apply for your second one year working holiday visa.

    Since last year you apply once only and you get a two year working holiday visa. You can't apply again otherwise I would be applying again. After the two years, if you want to stay, you need to get sponsored, or apply for P.R. through the Canadian Experience Class.


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    #5
    locoo
    Registered Users Posts: 35 ✭locoo


    I think that was the case before. Now, it seems some of the visas are still available, this may have changed. If you look at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/iec/index.asp?country=ie&cat=wh, you will see that there are no restrictions outlined.


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    #6
    Eutow
    Registered Users Posts: 1,197 ✭✭✭Eutow


    locoo wrote: »
    I think that was the case before. Now, it seems some of the visas are still available, this may have changed. If you look at http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/iec/index.asp?country=ie&cat=wh, you will see that there are no restrictions outlined.

    From that link:

    Note: As an Irish citizen, you may participate in the Working Holiday category only once.

    If you meet the eligibility criteria, you may participate in IEC one more time through the International Co-op (Internship) category.

    If you participated in IEC before 2013 for a period of up to 12 months, you are eligible for a second participation of up to 24 months in the category of your choice. Those who participated in IEC more than once before 2013 are no longer eligible to apply.


    It says you can only apply once. The IEC changed the way they issued visas in 2013. Before 2013, they used to issue them for (1) year only, then you applied for a second (1) year visa when the IEC opened the following year. That was it, you couldn't apply for another if you applied twice, you got two years in total.

    However, there was a loophole that could be exploited whereby people can get three years over there between the time the process was changed. If you applied for your first IEC visa in 2012 under the old system, you got a (1) year working holiday visa. When the new process opened in 2013, those that applied for the first time in 2012, were able to apply by virtue of only having got a one year visa, but they were given a new 2 year working holiday visa, so three years in total, because the system changed to give people the 2 years immediately. Unfortunately, because I applied in 2011 and 2012, I was not able to avail of this loophole.


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