Canada/United Kingdom: Bilateral Youth Mobility Arrangement Signed

According to announcements by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and the UK Home Office, Canada and the United Kingdom have signed a new Youth Mobility Arrangement that is anticipated to come into effect in 2024. It features several improvements over the existing Canada-UK youth mobility arrangement signed in 2008, including: the eligibility age will increase from 18-30 to 18-35; two new streams - International Co-op (Internship) and Young Professionals—will be added to complement the existing Working Holiday category in Canada; and the total duration of stay will increase from two to three years. Eligible individuals will be able to apply in Canada through the International Experience Canada Program (IEC), and in the United Kingdom through the UK’s Youth Mobility Scheme. International youth mobility programs help promote reciprocal work opportunities and a more comprehensive knowledge of culture, society, and languages through travel experiences, work, and life in the other country for young people.