Age
Check the Working Holiday category rather than Young Professionals or internship conditions.
References: CA-IT
Italian passport / Working Holiday
Canada Working Holiday for Italian citizens (2026)
Compare destinations, check requirements for your passport and prepare your next trip.
Governments can change visa requirements at any time. Always check the official government pages before applying.
Key facts at a glance
- Age
- 18–35 inclusiveLearn moreReferences: CA-IT
- Length of stay
- Up to 12 months per participationLearn moreReferences: CA-IT
- Initial funds
- At least CAD 2,500 + departure costsLearn moreReferences: CA-IT
- Visa fee
- CAD 184.75 + CAD 100; biometrics if requiredLearn moreReferences: CA-FEES CA-APPLY
- Annual quota
- To be confirmedLearn moreReferences: CA-PROFILE
- Application dates and timing
- Invitation: 10 days; application: 20 from acceptanceLearn moreReferences: CA-PROFILE
- Language
- To be confirmedLearn moreReferences: CA-IT
- Study
- Individual courses completed within 6 monthsLearn moreReferences: CA-STUDY
- Work
- Working Holiday open work permitLearn moreReferences: CA-ABOUT
Italy →CanadaCanada Working Holiday for Italian citizens (2026)
Requirements, application steps and preparation before departure.
Step 1
Check requirements and prepare your language
Length of stay
Under the new agreement Italians may participate in IEC twice under any category. Each application must meet the criteria. Two participations are not one two-year permit.
References: CA-IT
Initial funds
Prepare the initial reserve and separately a return ticket or funds to buy it.
References: CA-IT
Visa fee
The consulted IRCC list gives CAD 184.75 for IEC and CAD 100 for the Working Holiday open permit; individual biometrics CAD 85 if required. Do not automatically add the ordinary CAD 155 permit charge. Check the total at payment.
Annual quota
This review does not confirm an Italian annual Working Holiday allocation. IEC category numbers and availability counters are not interchangeable; follow IRCC without inferring remaining places.
References: CA-PROFILE
Application dates and timing
Submit a profile during the IEC season before the final country/category round. An invitation gives ten days to accept, then twenty from the acceptance time for the application. Follow account deadlines; no future opening is invented.
References: CA-PROFILE
Language
The consulted Italian IEC instructions give no language score for Working Holiday. A school may have its own admission rules; these do not establish visa eligibility.
References: CA-IT
Explore language courses →Passport
The permit cannot exceed passport expiry; insurance and biometrics can also limit duration. Check the issued permit at the border before leaving inspection.
References: CA-IT CA-ARRIVAL
Insurance
Evidence may be requested on entry. Passport validity also limits the permit’s duration.
References: CA-IT
Documents and participation
IRCC requires a residential or mailing address in Italy and a residence certificate. Do not assume a passport alone proves residence.
References: CA-IT
Step 2
Apply for the visa
- Check age, previous participations and the Italian residence certificate.
- Create the official IEC profile and wait for a possible invitation.
- If invited, follow account deadlines for accepting and submitting a complete application, including fees and any required biometrics.
- Wait for the decision and read arrival instructions before final bookings.
Step 3
After approval
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
Prepare your trip
Prepare the residence certificate and evidence before any invitation. For an individual course within six months, check that it is not part of a longer programme; other study needs the appropriate permit.
Bank statement before departure
Bring a statement issued no more than one week before departure. CAD 2,500 evidence is separate from the ticket or departure reserve.
References: CA-ARRIVAL
Insurance for the whole stay
Cover medical care, hospitalization and repatriation. A shorter policy can shorten the permit, without a later extension to recover the lost period.
References: CA-ARRIVAL
- Passport, visa and requested evidence accessible offline.
- Initial funds, insurance and departure costs checked separately.
- First accommodation and airport transport arranged.
A personal planning aid. Nothing is sent, and it does not assess visa eligibility.
Step 5
Start your Working Holiday
Bring passport, POE letter, insurance, funds/departure evidence and application copies. The POE letter is not the permit: check the border-issued permit’s details and expiry before leaving inspection.
Work
It allows most employers and different locations. Some jobs require a medical examination; follow permit restrictions. Do not apply the employer-specific Young Professionals rule.
Study
Courses must not form part of a programme longer than six months. A longer course or programme needs a study permit. The old exception for permits/letters issued by 7 June 2023 is not a new 2026 IEC exemption.
Explore language courses →Language courses · commercial service
Prepare your language skills for the 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.
Courses must not form part of a programme longer than six months. A longer course or programme needs a study permit. The old exception for permits/letters issued by 7 June 2023 is not a new 2026 IEC exemption.
Other destinations to compare
- Working Holiday in Australia →
- Working Holiday in New Zealand →
- Working Holiday in Japan →
- Working Holiday in South Korea →
- Working Holiday in Hong Kong →
Frequently asked questions
Do two participations mean two years on one permit?
No. The Italian limit is up to twelve months per participation, with a separate process each time.
References: CA-IT
Explore language courses →Does an IEC profile authorize work?
No: profile, invitation, application, POE letter and border-issued permit are separate stages.
References: CA-IT CA-APPLY CA-ARRIVAL
Which IEC and Working Holiday charges are separate?
The consulted IRCC list gives CAD 184.75 for IEC and CAD 100 for the Working Holiday open permit; individual biometrics CAD 85 if required. Do not automatically add the ordinary CAD 155 permit charge. Check the total at payment.
Can I study without a study permit?
Courses must not form part of a programme longer than six months. A longer course or programme needs a study permit. The old exception for permits/letters issued by 7 June 2023 is not a new 2026 IEC exemption.
References: CA-STUDY
Must I stay with one employer?
It allows most employers and different locations. Some jobs require a medical examination; follow permit restrictions. Do not apply the employer-specific Young Professionals rule.
References: CA-ABOUT
Can passport expiry shorten the permit?
The permit cannot exceed passport expiry; insurance and biometrics can also limit duration. Check the issued permit at the border before leaving inspection.
References: CA-IT CA-ARRIVAL
How long do I have after an invitation?
Submit a profile during the IEC season before the final country/category round. An invitation gives ten days to accept, then twenty from the acceptance time for the application. Follow account deadlines; no future opening is invented.
References: CA-PROFILE
Contacts and consular assistance
For requirements and your application, use the issuing authority’s official contact channels. For assistance to Italian citizens abroad, find the responsible office in the Italian Foreign Ministry’s diplomatic and consular directory. An Italian consulate does not decide the host country’s visa.
Find the Italian embassy or consulate ↗Official sources
Each source shows its own check date. Always check current requirements with the official government authority. Rules can change after consultation.
Source checked on 2026-10-18 · Governments can change visa requirements at any time. Always check the official government pages before applying.
CA-IT · IRCC · Italy - Working Holiday
Read the official instructions ↗Source checked on 2026-10-18 · Governments can change visa requirements at any time. Always check the official government pages before applying.
CA-APPLY · IRCC · Work permit application
Read the official instructions ↗Source checked on 2026-10-18 · Governments can change visa requirements at any time. Always check the official government pages before applying.
CA-ARRIVAL · IRCC · Prepare for arrival
Read the official instructions ↗Source checked on 2026-10-18 · Governments can change visa requirements at any time. Always check the official government pages before applying.
CA-PROFILE · IRCC · Create profile and invitation
Read the official instructions ↗Source checked on 2026-10-18 · Governments can change visa requirements at any time. Always check the official government pages before applying.
CA-FEES · IRCC · Current fee list
Read the official instructions ↗Source checked on 2026-10-18 · Governments can change visa requirements at any time. Always check the official government pages before applying.
CA-STUDY · IRCC · Study during IEC
Read the official instructions ↗Source checked on 2026-10-18 · Governments can change visa requirements at any time. Always check the official government pages before applying.
CA-ABOUT · IRCC · Working Holiday category
Read the official instructions ↗Source checked on 2026-10-18 · Governments can change visa requirements at any time. Always check the official government pages before applying.