Agreement on youth mobility between Italy and Canada

The Agreement on Youth Mobility between Italy and Canada provides professional development opportunities for young Italians and Canadians aged 18 to 35 as they enter the world of work.

The Agreement envisages the following categories of opportunities and participants:

1. a) Working Holidays, for young people wishing to travel in the host country and find a temporary job during their stay;
2. b) Young Professionals, for young people who have already been offered a job in the host country that contributes to their professional development or is related to their previous field of study;
3. c) International Co-op (Internships), for students registered at a post-secondary institution who have an offer for a work placement or internship in the host country related to their field of study, as a requirement to complete their studies.

The new Agreement can be set in the framework of the excellent bilateral relations between Italy and Canada. It is intended to increase young Italians and Canadians’ knowledge of each others’ culture, society and languages, through their experience of travel, work and life in the other country.

Information and links

To find out if you are eligible and how to obtain an entry visa, you should carefully read the Agreement Concerning Youth Mobility (text available in Italian, English and French).

Italian citizens wishing to take part in the scheme should visit the International Experience Canada website, which contains more information on the process and how to apply. They should also check the instructions and watch the walkthrough guide.

Canadian citizens interested in these youth mobility opportunities in our country should consult the Visa for Italy website (selecting their preferred language), which contains information on Italy’s entry requirements. They should also visit the website of the diplomatic mission (embassy or consulate) for their place of residence.

The type of entry visa that Canadian citizens should apply for is set out below for each of the three categories.

1. a) Working Holiday category: working holiday visa
2. b) Young Professionals category: employment visa
3. c) International Co-op category: study-apprenticeship visa

Within eight days of arriving in Italy, young Canadians participating in the scheme, from each of the three categories, must apply for a residence permit at the Questura [police headquarters] for their place of residence. You can find more information on the Ministero dell’Interno [Ministry of the Interior] website and the Portale Immigrazione [Immigration Portal].

The employers of participants in the Young Professionals category must apply for a nulla osta [no objection] document through the Sportello unico per l’immigrazione [One-Stop Shop for Immigration] of the relevant Prefect’s office.

Information on the Italian university system is available on the Uni-Italia website.