Age
Canadian condition for young professional and Working Holiday streams.
References: CA-CR-CONSULAR
Canadian passport / Working Holiday
Working Holiday in Costa Rica for Canadians (2026)
Check the essential requirements, then follow the five stages to prepare your application and trip.
Governments can change visa requirements at any time. Always check the official government pages before applying.
Canadian mobility procedure requires obtaining work status; do not confuse it with digital-nomad permission or automatic residence.
Key facts at a glance
- Age
- 18–35 inclusiveLearn moreReferences: CA-CR-CONSULAR
- Length of stay
- Up to 12 months under appropriate statusLearn moreReferences: CA-CR-IEC
- Initial funds
- CAD 2500 and separate departure costsLearn moreReferences: CA-CR-CONSULAR
- Visa fee
- USD 200 status change; other chargesLearn moreReferences: CA-CR-CONSULAR
- Annual quota
- To be confirmedLearn moreReferences: CA-CR-CONSULAR
- Application dates and timing
- Prepare certificates before departureLearn moreReferences: CA-CR-CONSULAR CA-CR-IEC
- Language
- To be confirmedLearn moreReferences: CA-CR-CONSULAR
- Study
- To be confirmedLearn moreReferences: CA-CR-CONSULAR
- Work
- Contract and status change before employmentLearn moreReferences: CA-CR-CONSULAR
Canada →Costa RicaWorking Holiday in Costa Rica for Canadians (2026)
Requirements, application steps and preparation before departure.
Step 1
Check requirements and language preparation
Length of stay
Programme duration under IRCC, separate from tourist admission and the actual permit start.
References: CA-CR-IEC
Initial funds
Evidence less than one month old covering the preceding three months; departure ticket separately required.
References: CA-CR-CONSULAR
Visa fee
Embassy: USD 50 and 125 CRC plus 2.50 CRC per page also appear in the permit list; confirm total. Do not apply the student-stream USD 32 tariff.
References: CA-CR-CONSULAR
Annual quota
The Canadian page establishes no annual Working Holiday allocation to Costa Rica.
References: CA-CR-CONSULAR
Application dates and timing
The embassy describes 180 tourist days, IRCC 90. Confirm admission and prepare around the shorter period as a precaution.
References: CA-CR-CONSULAR CA-CR-IEC
Language
No Spanish exam established; non-Spanish documents require official translation.
References: CA-CR-CONSULAR
Explore language courses →Passport
Original plus verified copy or certified copies are requested for the permit; this stream’s Canadian validity margin is not quantified here.
References: CA-CR-CONSULAR
Insurance
Purchase before arrival for the authorized period; no numeric coverage minimum in this section.
References: CA-CR-CONSULAR
Documents and participation
Prepare in Canada; RCMP record less than 6 months old. Local filing adds employer, fingerprints and consular registration.
References: CA-CR-CONSULAR
Step 2
Apply through the official route
- Confirm the Working Holiday route with the embassy and prepare documents in Canada.
- Obtain required apostilles and arrange official Spanish translations.
- If choosing tourist entry, respect admission; obtain a contract without starting work.
- File status change and employer-supported application with Migración; await work authorization.
Step 3
Read your approval and entry conditions
Read the entire approval notice: identity, dates, entry deadline and conditions. Keep it available offline. Do not assume the visa starts on your preferred date.
Step 4
Get ready for the trip
Obtain birth record, recent RCMP, financial evidence and apostilles before travel. Budget translation, status change and additional charges; confirm admission time.
- Passport, visa and requested evidence accessible offline.
- Initial funds, insurance and departure costs checked separately.
- First accommodation and airport transport arranged.
Step 5
Start your Working Holiday
Tourist admission does not permit employment. Complete Migración, fingerprints, consular registration and employer filing before authorized work.
Work
Consular procedure permits job search after tourist admission, then requires employer evidence and work status; no permission to start as a tourist.
Study
The internship/student stream is separate; it does not define a Working Holiday course allowance.
Explore language courses →Language courses · commercial service
Plan a language course for your trip.
Through ViveCampus you can request language-course quotes with international-student discounts. Offers may vary by your country of origin and destination. A personalized quote confirms available discounts and the final price. Booking a course does not guarantee a visa.
The internship/student stream is separate; it does not define a Working Holiday course allowance.
Other destinations to compare
- Working Holiday in Australia →
- Working Holiday in New Zealand →
- Working Holiday in the United Kingdom →
- Working Holiday in Japan →
- Working Holiday in Andorra →
- Working Holiday in Austria →
- Working Holiday in Belgium →
- Working Holiday in Chile →
- Working Holiday in Croatia →
- Working Holiday in Czech Republic →
- Working Holiday in Denmark →
- Working Holiday in Estonia →
- Working Holiday in Finland →
- Working Holiday in France →
- Working Holiday in Germany →
- Working Holiday in Greece →
- Working Holiday in Hong Kong →
- Working Holiday in Iceland →
- Working Holiday in Ireland →
- Working Holiday in Italy →
- Working Holiday in Latvia →
- Working Holiday in Lithuania →
- Working Holiday in Luxembourg →
- Working Holiday in the Netherlands →
- Working Holiday in Norway →
- Working Holiday in Poland →
- Working Holiday in Portugal →
- Working Holiday in South Korea →
- Working Holiday in San Marino →
- Working Holiday in Slovakia →
- Working Holiday in Slovenia →
- Working Holiday in Spain →
- Working Holiday in Sweden →
- Working Holiday in Taiwan →
Frequently asked questions
Can I work as a tourist?
No. Job search and work authorization are separate stages.
References: CA-CR-CONSULAR
Explore language courses →Is admission 90 or 180 days?
The embassy says 180 and IRCC 90; confirm and prepare around 90 as a precaution.
References: CA-CR-CONSULAR
Which records should I prepare in Canada?
Birth, recent RCMP and financial evidence, with requested apostilles.
References: CA-CR-CONSULAR
Does CAD 2500 cover everything?
No. It is initial support; return, insurance, housing and charges are separate.
References: CA-CR-CONSULAR
Can I use the student procedure?
That stream covers other activities; do not transfer its steps or fees to Working Holiday.
References: CA-CR-CONSULAR
Is a second participation possible?
A different category and at least three-month break; confirm current criteria.
References: CA-CR-IEC
Official sources
Each source retains its own check date. Governments can change requirements at any time; check the official government pages before applying.
2026-10-18 · Governments can change visa requirements at any time. Always check the official government pages before applying.
CA-CR-CONSULAR · Costa Rican Embassy in Canada - youth mobility
Read the official instructions ↗2026-10-18 · Governments can change visa requirements at any time. Always check the official government pages before applying.