Early this week, the Government of Canada announced the signing of a new Canada-South Korea Youth Mobility Arrangement to strengthen ties with South Korea. The new Canada-South Korea Youth Mobility Arrangement aims to provide more opportunities for youth from both countries to engage in international work and travel experiences. It will be facilitated through the International Experience Canada (IEC) program in Canada and its South Korean equivalent. The arrangement builds upon the existing memorandum of understanding signed in 1995, introducing several improvements.
One of the key improvements is an increase in the eligibility age range. Previously, the age limit was set at 18-30, but it has now been expanded to 18-35. This change allows a wider range of young individuals to participate in the program. Additionally, two new streams have been introduced to complement the existing Working Holiday category. These streams are the International Co-op (Internship) and Young Professionals categories, providing more diverse opportunities for participants.
Furthermore, most youth will now have the option to participate in the program twice, with each participation period lasting up to 24 months. This change offers increased flexibility and allows participants to engage in longer-term experiences in both countries.
The Government of Canada plans to implement the new arrangement in 2024, offering new avenues for future work and travel opportunities between Canada and South Korea. This initiative also aims to strengthen the people-to-people ties between the two countries and improve the labour market access for Canadian and South Korean youth.
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