WHV – Programme Vacances Travail is part of the EIC Program – International Experience Canada. It enables young people from France (aged 18 to 35), Belgium and Luxembourg (aged 18 to 30) to discover Canada, alternating travel and work for one year. The purpose of this article is to introduce you to WHV Canada, its eligibility criteria and special features.
Eligibility criteria WHV Canada
- Your passport must be valid for your entire stay in Canada.
- Financial resources: You must have and be able to justify a sum equivalent to CAN$2,500 to cover the first few weeks of your stay. When you arrive in Canada, you must be able to show proof of your bank account, signed and stamped by your bank. It must be dated at least one week before your departure for Canada.
- You must either be in possession of a round-trip air ticket, or be able to show that you have sufficient funds to cover the cost of a return ticket.
- WHV insurance: You must take out health insurance covering your entire stay in Canada. You will certainly be asked for proof of insurance when you clear customs on the Canadian side.
Take out health insurance to cover your entire stay in Canada. You will certainly be asked for proof ofinsurance when you clear customs on the Canadian side.
WHV Canada and Covid-19
- Since September 2021, all travelers (including pvtists) fully vaccinated for at least 14 days can travel to Canada. For unvaccinated people, Canada’s borders are closed, although exceptions exist.
- Download the ArriveCAN app (Android/iOS) and complete it before boarding a flight to Canada. On the app, you’ll need to provide information about your flight, your contact details in Canada, information about your location and your quarantine plan.
- Provide a PCR test upon boarding (except for children under 5), performed within the last 72 hours.
- Health checks carried out by airline agents on departure
- New test to be taken on arrival in Canada. Vaccinated travelers must be quarantined until they receive their test results. Check the latest news before you leave, as the situation may change within a few days, depending on the health situation.
- Holders of a letter of introduction to WHV Canada can leave even without a job if they are fully vaccinated for more than 14 days.
The WHV visa allows you to work in Canada
The WHV is a visa, i.e. a document issued by the Canadian authorities. It authorizes you to travel to Canada for a maximum of 24 months to discover the country, with authorization to work during your stay.
Please note that Canada sets quotas: only 7,000 visas are issued, and registrations rarely last more than two months.
The WHV visa is valid throughout Canada
The WHV allows you to travel and work anywhere in Canada.
There’s no need to tell anyone, you’re free to move around the country as long as your WHV is valid.
A job at WHV with the same employer
If you’ve found a job you like in Canada, you can work for the same employer for the duration of your WHV.
If you want to go to WHV with a friend or your spouse (whether you’re married or not), you need to make one application per person. The WHV is an individual permit; it does not give work authorization to your spouse, who must obtain his/her own work permit (a WHV or other). This means that each of you must register in the WHV applicant pool.
WHV, a work permit open to all profiles
WHV is not awarded on the basis of a candidate’s profile. The Canadian authorities will not evaluate applications on the basis of degree level, language level or past work experience, for example. Anyone who meets the participation criteria listed in the previous paragraph is eligible and therefore has a chance of obtaining a WHV Canada.
Very high medical costs in Canada
Canada’s healthcare system is among the best in the world, and stands out from its American neighbor. Canada boasts a number of modern infrastructures and many renowned specialists providing high-quality care. Nevertheless, healthcare in Canada is extremely expensive. For example
- Consultation with a general practitioner: $70
- Consultation with a specialist: $100
- Glasses: $500
- Emergency service: $900
- Hospitalization (day): $4500
- Delivery: $8,500
A health care system with RAMQ that is not accessible to WHV
The WHV is an open work permit (not closed to an employer), so PVTists are not entitled to RAMQ. Quebec health insurance (RAMQ) covers routine medical care, doctor’s visits and basic hospital services. However, RAMQ does not cover certain types of care, such as :
- Private clinic consultations
- Dental and optical care (except in special cases)
- Alternative medicine (acupuncture, dietician, naturopath…)
- Physicians and practitioners who do not accept RAMQ
Mandatory health insurance WHV Canada
You need to take out insurance for your expatriation as a WHV or young professional. You may be refused entry to Canada if you do not have international health insurance. Your insurance must cover health care, hospitalization and repatriation. In short, no insurance = no WHV
Ready to give it a try? If you’d like to go to WHV, Mondassur offers you Goldstart insurance. Choose from 3 levels of coverage: Backup, Basic or Nomad. As Canada is a country with very high medical costs,we recommend choosing the Nomad formula.
