A new agreement between Canada and Australia could help attract more labour to the region.
Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen announced on Aug. 28 that young adults from both countries aged 18 to 35 will be able to work and travel through the International Experience Canada program.
Previously, the age limit for the program was 30. The change means that more Australians would be qualified to work across Canada.
The Sea to Sky Corridor — especially Whistler — relies heavily on workers from Australia.
Amidst local business owners’ frequent complaints of staffing shortages, this move could help alleviate the problem.
The age cap increase works both ways, meaning more Canadians will be eligible to work and travel in Australia.
There are three categories of participation under the program:
- Working Holiday participants receive open work permits that allow them to work anywhere in the host country, to support their travels.
- International Co-op participants receive employer-specific work permits that allow students to gain targeted experience in their field of study.
- Young Professionals participants receive an employer-specific work permit to gain targeted, professional work experience that is within their field of study or career path.
