Embassy of the Republic of Korea to Canada

The governments of the Republic of Korea and Canada have agreed to introduce a Youth Mobility Program that allows youth aged 18 to 35 to work for up to four years in each other's country.

Foreign Minister Park Jin and his Canadian counterpart, Minister Mélanie Joly, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on youth mobility in Seoul on May 17 in the presence of President Yoon Suk Yeol and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, following their bilateral summit meeting earlier that day.

The Korea-Canada Youth Mobility Program is set to begin operation in 2024, replacing the current Working Holiday Program, which has been in place since a memorandum of understanding was signed in 1995. Main features of the new Program include:

       ㅇ Two new categories -- Young Professionals and Internship -- will be added to the existing Working Holiday Program.

       ㅇ The eligibility age will increase from the current 18-30 to 18-35.

       ㅇ The total number of available slots for participation will be tripled from the current 4,000 to 12,000.

       ㅇ Participants may stay for up to 24 months, compared to the current 12 months. Those in the Working Holiday and Young Professionals Programs can participate twice, each time for up to 24 months.

       ㅇ Canadian youth participating in the Working Holiday Program in Korea will be allowed to work full-time, up to 40 hours a week and 2,080 hours a year.

The signing of the Young Mobility MOU came as part of joint efforts to strengthen and expand friendship and cooperation between the two countries, as we mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year. This agreement will open up new opportunities for future generations to experience each other's countries and develop a global mindset and, in the long run, is expected to contribute to the evolving Korea-Canada relationship over the next six decades.