Penalty for taking your time heading over? (IEC)

IrishTeddi

Hey guys,

I heard a rumour, and perhaps it's a fact but I've not seen it informed anywhere.

Supposedly if you don't head over to Canada within a certain time frame (i.e only deciding to use one of the two years) that you then can't apply for the IEC again at a later date?

Anyone heard anything along these lines?

RichFTW

Once you go through the IEC visa process, you can not apply for a second time, regardless of how much of the 2 years you used. Previous years where you had the 1 year visa were able to apply a second time but that is gone now that the visas are 2 years.

Nothing stopping you from going over at any time during the 2 years but you have to enter Canada to activate it first and the "2 year" timer starts once you enter.

Example timeline: Get your POE letter from stage 2 on 02/04/14, have until 01/04/15 to enter Canada to activate, enter Canada 01/04/15 so have 2 years of visa up to 01/04/17. Here you could have entered Canada on 01/04/15, flew back home for a year and then go back to Canada but you would still only have 1 year of a visa.

IrishTeddi

RichFTW wrote: »

Once you go through the IEC visa process, you can not apply for a second time, regardless of how much of the 2 years you used. Previous years where you had the 1 year visa were able to apply a second time but that is gone now that the visas are 2 years.

Nothing stopping you from going over at any time during the 2 years but you have to enter Canada to activate it first and the "2 year" timer starts once you enter.

Example timeline: Get your POE letter from stage 2 on 02/04/14, have until 01/04/15 to enter Canada to activate, enter Canada 01/04/15 so have 2 years of visa up to 01/04/17. Here you could have entered Canada on 01/04/15, flew back home for a year and then go back to Canada but you would still only have 1 year of a visa.

Thank you Rich!

I was curious over when the actual 2 years started. I was told by a friend that it starts once you get your POE. I didn't know it started once you entered the country.

Great news

Leitrim Lady

Yeah Rich is correct,
I had until 31st March this year to activate mine and since I had a baby in January I wasn't gonna go straight away.So I popped over for a weekend 2 weeks ago and got it sorted.Its great to know I have the visa and it's until March 2016.

IrishTeddi

Leitrim Lady wrote: »

Yeah Rich is correct,
I had until 31st March this year to activate mine and since I had a baby in January I wasn't gonna go straight away.So I popped over for a weekend 2 weeks ago and got it sorted.Its great to know I have the visa and it's until March 2016.

Thank you Leitrim!

Can I ask where it told you you had until the 31st of March? I recieved my CAL about 6 days ago now..

goingitalone

IrishTeddi wrote: »

Thank you Leitrim!

Can I ask where it told you you had until the 31st of March? I recieved my CAL about 6 days ago now..

It would have said on there poe

Leitrim Lady

Yeah Exactly,
I'm from last years IEC and on my letter telling you "come on over" it tells you how long you have before you need to activate it.I used Visa first to get it all fond for me so these CAL and WTN things people are on about I don't understand.But your final correspondence tells all.
Good luck with it.