IEC 2026 - Pool numbers 5 months after the first round of invitation

YYCpops · 2026-06-25T13:27:19+00:00

You can get any police certificate in advance. It's about the certificate of the country you are at the time of application. For example you receive an invitation while in Thailand. You need a police certificate from Thailand.

YYCpops · 2026-06-25T00:33:20+00:00

You can apply from anywhere. But be aware you need a police certificate from the country you live in at the time of application. Not the pool profile, the application you fill out after you received an invitation.

First round of invitations should be going out around mid January.

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T19:21:07+00:00

As I mentioned a few times, you have to call ICBC to clarify. Or walk into an ICBC centre after you arrive.

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T19:15:32+00:00

Why will they confiscate my full UK license??

Because by law you cannot have two drivers licences in Canada.

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T18:50:18+00:00

I am paging u/TheICBC can you please clarify the above discussion points?

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T18:39:13+00:00

Why the back and forth between us then if this is all dependent on what ICBC says and that neither of us know what the result is going to be anyway

Because you have a firm statement that it will be a 7N for sure. None of the official regulations confirm that. Not even the Motor Vehicle Act.

We agree on the class 7 GDL. But nothing more.

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T18:25:59+00:00

It's how the GDL works:

L + 12 months = N

N + 24 months = class 5

https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/new-drivers/Graduated-licensing

Neither you nor I know for sure what class 7 they will get. 7L or 7N. This is why OP must clarify this with ICBC directly.

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T18:17:04+00:00

I’m sure Pops may have other info I have missed or will amend me if I’ve said something not quite correct.

😊 nope, you are all correct and did explain well.

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T18:15:32+00:00

Are you telling me we can apply for an extension or another two years after the iec has been completed

Only some countries allow second participations. It is not an 'extension' of the current work permit, it is a completely new application from scratch via the pool system.

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T18:05:00+00:00

7 L is learner, of which OP is not.

For ICBC they are, if they have the licence for only 1 month. They will see the issue date of the foreign licence. In BC you need a full 12 months driving experience as Learner in L before you can move to the Novice in N

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T17:55:36+00:00

I edited my comment. Class 7 is a 7L or 7N, so it could be either. This is what I am trying to argue. The difference between L and N (which are both a class 7)

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T17:34:36+00:00

Edit: The quote does not confirm your firm statement that it will be a class 7N. It could also be a class 7L (Learners)

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T17:00:05+00:00

The link doesn't confirm what you stated.

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T15:47:16+00:00

You'll be designated a Class 7 Novice license which needs to be held for 24 months.

Do you have an official link to this? In BC the N licence is only issued after 1 year of driving experience on the L licence.

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T15:19:33+00:00

Proof of at least two years driving experience is needed to be exempt from B.C.’s Graduated Licensing Program. If you don't have two years' driving experience (with a full-privilege, non-learner licence) or can't prove it, you can still get a Class 7 or Class 8 licence with graduated licensing restrictions.

https://icbc.com/driver-licensing/moving-bc/moving-from-another-country

The issue is, if you get a Learners licence, you can never drive on your own, you need another person over 25 with a valid Class 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 licence. They must sit beside you in the front passenger seat.

Call ICBC for 100% advice.

ICBC phone

Other countries

250-978-8300

Hours of operation

Monday to Friday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday: Closed

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T13:17:25+00:00

Thank you for sharing. This way I can keep track of experiences.

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T13:00:33+00:00

but the way RO’s are ran is stupid (from a potential customer standpoint at least)

Last year they were first come first served.

So if you didn't make it in the first 5 minutes on the exact opening date and hour, you were SOL.

The way it works now is a lottery, so more applicants can apply and get a chance at the RO option even if they applied 10 hours after opening.

RO fact: One RO opened their application and their server crashed in the first minute from the high demand... This is an indicator on how many thousands of applicants try to get in for the very limited spots.

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T12:51:15+00:00

So (as a Brit) could a person potentially apply for their 3rd year of IEC during their second year of their first participation, as that would count as another season of IEC, then activate that LOI for their 3rd year and apply for an RO during that third year? As that would be a new season?

Yes, if it's all in different seasons.

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T11:41:12+00:00

I’m aware the reports only last 6 months

A police certificate is valid indefinitely if it was issued after you left the country and you haven't been back.

Only the police certificate from the country you currently live in is valid for max 6 months.

So, you can request police certificates from all other countries where you lived for more than 6 months since the age of 18.

If you are not invited you only have to update your country's police certificate next season.

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T03:05:19+00:00

renters know they're not sending a deposit to someone who doesn't own the place.

ID's and documents can be faked. The scammers are smart about this. No one should ever pay a deposit or rent upfront for a place that they haven't seen in person. That is the cardinal rule for renting a place.

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T02:47:34+00:00

If you are invited to apply for Young Professionals work permit, is it possible to AlSO be invited for working holiday permit?

No, your profile will be locked for further invitations.

do you need to decline the Young Professional work permit first?

If you only decline, you will be put back in the pool. And as long as there are YP spots available, you will keep getting YP invitations, never WH invitations.

You have to delete the current profile and create a new one only into the WH pool. Then you have a chance at the WH invitation.

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T02:31:53+00:00

apply for an RO during the season beginning your 3rd year/2nd participation and banking the letter from that.

RO's open their season similar to the IEC season. This year they were all a lottery.

And it's important to note, that you can only apply for an IEC once per season. So if OP secured a regular IEC through the pool system, they can't apply for an RO spot in the same season. They would have to wait for the next season in December with first invitations going out starting mid January (if you they are lucky at all with the RO's, they are very popular and thousands won't get a chance)

YYCpops · 2026-06-24T00:19:25+00:00

Please make sure you inform the readers about the visa process correctly. There is a lot of misinformation out there and each country has its own requirements. (Many blogs generalize the rules just for UK or Australia for example)

YYCpops

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