Getting here on your visa is the easy part but many people fall in love with Vancouver and want to stay beyond the 1 or 2 year working holiday visa. Below is an overview of the options available:

Extend your one-year visa
Many countries allow people to extend their stay in Canada up to two years if they come through the International Experience Canada (IEC) process. Consult this list of participating countries to see if your country of origin allows to a second year extension. We have prepared a Extending my IEC visa FAQ section to help you with this.

Work permit via Labor Market Opinion (LMO)
It is a fast, free process that was created to allow Canadian employers quickly fill positions in their companies with foreign workers if they are unable to find a Canadian to do the job. This work permit (or visa) generally needs to be renewed annually but sometimes available up to 3 years. More info available here

Apply for residency via Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
One of Canada’s provinces or territories can nominate you to settle and work there as part of the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP). This process is lead through your employer. More info available here

Apply for residency via Canada Experience Class (CEC)
For those of you who have done your time in Canada and have (or will have) two years of professional experience/study in your field, the Canadian Experience Class is probably the best route towards residency. You apply directly yourself and not through your employers. More info available here

Apply for residency via Canada Federal Skilled Worker (Professional) Immigration
Skilled workers are people who are selected as permanent residents based on their ability to become economically established in Canada.Federal skilled worker applications are assessed for eligibility according to the criteria. More info available here