So, you’ve heard all about the epic adventures of working and traveling abroad, and how many visas are out there for young Canadians just like you. But what happens when you’re done with your 20’s, or even pushing past 30? No worries, there are still many opportunities for you to do a Working Holiday abroad as a Canadian citizen!
Can you apply for a working holiday visa if you are 30? Yes, you can!
Most of the Working Holiday visas typically cap out around 30 years old. A lot of those classic ‘working holiday’ gigs – think bartending in a busy pub, picking fruit under the sun, or serving up lattes – are often seen as perfect for those fresh out of uni or on a gap year, a simple way to explore the world, snag some early work experience, and keep your travel funds topped up.
But here’s the good news, fellow Canadians: hitting 30 or even if you are getting close to 35 years old absolutely doesn’t mean your international dreams are over. Don’t stress if you haven’t taken off overseas yet! There are still some awesome countries that welcome Canadians over 30 years old to work abroad on a working holiday thanks to the agreements under International Experience Canada (IEC).
The Government of Canada has agreements with over 35 countries under the International Experience Canada (IEC) program. A significant number of them offer Working Holiday Visas with an age limit of 35, meaning you must be 35 or younger when you apply.
As a reference, over 25 countries of Canada’s IEC country partners offer Working Holiday or youth mobility opportunities for Canadian Youth up to age 35 years old. It’s always crucial to check the specific country’s page on the official IRCC website (or the relevant country’s embassy/consulate in Canada) for the most precise and up-to-date eligibility criteria, as agreements can be updated every year, but for today, we have done the homework for you!
Absolutely not! Fellow Canadians in your early to mid-thirties, this one’s for you! Canadians in that 30-35 age bracket who are already established in their careers but dreaming of a break, you still can work abroad and do that working holiday experience that you never had the chance to do. Now you can actually say: It’s now or never!
Dreaming of that epic, long-term adventure outside Canada but feel like you’ve missed the boat? Think again! If taking a career break to travel feels financially daunting right now, consider this: Working Holiday Visas for Canadians are a smart way to fund your work experience abroad, even in your early to mid-thirties. You might have save up some money for this experience to be in a better financial place!
Working Holiday experiences outside of Canada aren’t just for recent grads. A Working Holiday will allow you to work and travel in another country for a significant period – usually 12 to 24 months. This means you can truly immerse yourself, gain international experience that complements your existing career, and keep your bank account healthy without draining all your savings for a “gap year.” You’ll just need to show proof of having enough initial support funds in your bank account to cover your primary expenses until your new job starts paying.
Here’s the best part: many people don’t realize just how many options are actually available within the Working Holiday program for Canadians even if you’re over 30 and up to 35 years old. Forget any worry about having “missed out” – many countries offer working holiday visas for your age group, opening up a whole world of possibilities for that well-deserved career sabbatical. Your global adventure is still very much within reach!
Interested to learn more about what Working Holiday Visa Program could be the best for you?
Book a Free Meeting with us, we are here to help you start planning your Working Holiday Adventure! We have helped hundreds of Canadians, also over 30 years old, to take their step abroad, so we are here to guide you and answer all your questions!
12 Months
CAD$599
On our Spain Send-Off Package get one-on-one support on your Spain working holiday visa application, guidance on finding accommodation, job, insurance and tons more; ensuring you arrive fully prepared to start your Spain Working Holiday. ¡Vámonos pa’ allá!
Up to 3 years
CAD$ 499
Our UK Send-Off Package will make your dream of living in the UK a reality by helping you obtain your UK Working Holiday Visa and guiding you through the essentials needed to live in the UK.
Up to 2 years
CAD$ 499
Start your journey to France stress-free with our Send-Off Package. From step-by-step visa support, help to secure you a job and accommodation and answer all your questions along the way! Our Travel Coordinators will make sure you have the trip of a lifetime!
23 months
From CAD $299
Arrive in New Zealand stress-free having received everything to get your working holiday off to an epic start; from visa support to finding working holiday jobs, a place to live, opening your bank, tax account and meeting new friends!
Up to 2 years
CAD$499
Arrive in Korea stress-free with one-on-one support on your South Korea Working Holiday Visa application and everything you need to live, work and travel in Korea. All you need to do is focus on planning the fun stuff!
Up to 2 years
From CAD$299
Our Australia Working Holiday Send-Off Program offers complete support on your move Down Under. Secure your Australia Working Holiday Visa, find a job, a place to live and tons more!
Get started today! At Stepabroad we have worked in different countries, so we can give you advice on where to go, experiences from other Canadians and how the visa process would work. We are excited to meet you! Complete our application form for Free so we can confirm if you are eligible for this exciting Working Holiday opportunity.
Absolutely! We have a good amount of 30+ year-old Canadians participating in Working Holiday Visas around the world, including Europe and Oceania! Some Working Holiday Visas have an upper age limit of 35 years old (inclusive), which means that you can apply before you turn 36 years old!
At Stepabroad, we provide services for Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, France, and Spain. All these countries have an upper limit of 35 years old! If you want to talk to our travel coordinators about each country and how it could be a good fit for you, schedule the call here.
This depends on the destination country that you are applying for. While some countries make it clear that you can travel after you have turned 36 years old as long as your visa was submitted while you were 35, other countries may not. This is the reason why it is SUPER important that you come to us in advance to discuss your options and talk about timelines!
Not necessarily – as long as you apply for your visa in time and in advance from your 36th birthday, you would be considered eligible and your visa application process will have the same chance as a visa application process of an applicant under 30 years old. Therefore, it is vital that you apply for your visa in time! If you are unsure how far in advance you should be working on preparing your Working Holiday Visa, please get in touch with our travel coordinators before it’s too late!
This depends on the destination country, because each country is different when it comes to whether or not you should apply AND obtain the visa before your 36th Birthday, or even travel while you are 35 years old.
Some countries have a faster processing timeline compared to others (e.g. Australia), so you may have a good chance of getting your visa on time, while others have a significantly longer processing timeline (e.g. Spain), which means that you may lose the forever chance to apply for the Working Holiday Visa. When speaking to our travel coordinators, please make it clear how close you are from turning 36 years old so that we can advise you best!
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