See Canada through the eyes of Aussies and Kiwis

September 27, 2021

Canada is a rich tapestry of cultures and experiences. If you take a picture coast to coast, you will see mountains and forests, lakes and a sky filled with Northern lights over a frozen tundra. If you listen, you will hear nearly 300 languages spoken across the country. By experiencing Canada, you have a chance to add your own thread to the tapestry or take an idea, bring it home and turn it into reality.

International Experience Canada (IEC) allows Australian and New Zealand youth to travel and work in Canada, enriching their lives and learning more about the country that is known for friendly faces and incredible places.

Here’s what these Working Holiday alumni shared:

Beaver & Bear

Poutine! You haven’t heard of it? You must try it! It is even possible to try this one part of the Canadian puzzle in the Southern Hemisphere. Brooke and Blair, a couple from New Zealand, travelled to Canada and fell in love with the food. They decided that they should bring it back to New Zealand in the form of a food truck called “Beaver & Bear”. Now serving the community around Palmerston North, everyone has a chance to get to experience a small slice of Canada.

Working Holiday in Canada

Jessica was excited to see the wildlife in Canada, from Polar bears, dog sledding, otters, beavers and even a moose! One of the biggest highlights for her was going to the Cool Runnings track in Vancouver, the track where the Jamaican Bobsled team made history and the inspiration for an iconic film.

Canada is also a great place to learn a new language as Matt discovered when he moved to the Eastern part of Canada. He was inspired to learn French and their unique culture.

(Working Holiday in Canada – Testimonials)

ImagineNATIVE

When Medika Thorpe travelled to Canada with IEC, she became involved in the world’s largest Indigenous screen content and film festival, ImagineNATIVE. She brought their creative vision to Australia and became the Executive Director of the Winda Film Festival.

These Working Holiday alumni get to experience the best of Canada and inspired them to bring a piece of Canada back to their home countries. The tapestry they wove in Canada continues and that connection stays alive.

What does Canada mean to you? Send your stories to whpcanada.sydney@international.gc.ca.

International Experience Canada (IEC) began in the 1950s as a cultural exchange initiative. Today, IEC supports Canada’s interests by administering Youth Mobility Arrangements (including Working Holiday) with 30+ countries and territories. The agreement between Canada and Australia started in 1975 and is currently reciprocal in the number of inbound and outbound participants.