Short answer: there is no fixed IEC document list. IRCC states that "the system will generate a personalized document checklist for you," so the slots differ by category and by your history. What follows is every document IRCC names, plus the places applications go wrong.
Things you do not upload
- Health insurance. Not needed when you apply; needed before you arrive. IRCC: "You don't need to have health insurance when you apply. You do need to have it before you arrive in Canada."
- Proof of funds. The bank statement is grouped under documents to bring to the border, not an upload slot.
- eTA or visitor visa. You do not apply separately. An eTA is issued automatically on approval; if you need a visa, you get a letter asking for your passport.
The documents IRCC names
| Document (IRCC's wording) | Who | Key rule |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Everyone | Clear readable copy; valid at application and at entry/exit; must include a blank page other than the last page. The permit never outlasts the passport |
| Digital photo | Everyone | ≥35 × 45 mm, head 31–36 mm, ≥420 × 540 px, JPEG or JPEG2000, ideally 240 kB, never under 60 kB |
| Police certificates | As applicable | One upload field only — combine multiple certificates into a single file |
| Proof of medical exam | If required | Use that section; if it is not shown, use Optional documents at the bottom |
| CV / résumé | Everyone | Education and work history with main duties, current job title, current city and country |
| Family Information (IMM 5707) | Everyone | Spouse/partner, parents, children including step and adopted. Digital signature accepted. IRCC forms cannot be filled on a mobile device |
| Proof of residency | Some cases | Residential and mailing address in your country of citizenship |
| Proof of school registration | International Co-op | Letter showing current registration |
| Proof the job links to your field of study | International Co-op | Three-party internship agreement or an official letter from the institution |
| Proof of education | Young Professionals, TEER 4 offers | Optional Documents slot at the bottom |
| RO confirmation letter | RO users | Other documents section |
Employer numbers have set conventions. Young Professionals and Co-op use the employer's "AXXXXXXX" number. For Working Holiday, enter "A9999999", answer "No" to the employer compliance fee question, and put "Non-applicable – Working Holiday" in the employer address fields.
Funds: CAN$2,500
- Your bank statement must show at least CAN$2,500 or the foreign-currency equivalent. IRCC frames this as your first three months; return airfare is on top of it.
- The statement must be issued no more than one week before you leave for Canada. If your bank does not issue statements, a letter on official letterhead showing the balance, signed and preferably stamped, works — bring the original, not a photocopy.
- CAN$10,000 or more must be declared on arrival.
Insurance: this is where permits get shortened
- It must cover your entire stay and include medical care, hospitalization and repatriation.
- It is checked at the border. IRCC: "You may be refused entry if you don't have insurance" and "Having a valid provincial health card is not enough" — provincial coverage does not include repatriation.
- If the policy is shorter than your intended stay, your work permit is issued to expire with the insurance — and you will not be able to extend it later. A 12-month policy on a 24-month participation costs you 12 months.
- IRCC recommends waiting until you have your port of entry letter of introduction before buying.
- Two consecutive policies are acceptable if one cannot cover the whole period.
Police certificates, and the Korea specifics
The general rule is one certificate per country where you stayed 6 months in a row or longer since turning 18; your current country of residence must be issued within the last 6 months, others must be issued after you left. Full detail in the police certificate guide.
For Korea, IRCC publishes country-specific instructions:
- Document: Criminal (Investigation) Records Check Report (범죄·수사경력 회보서)
- The scope of reference must read "For permission of foreign country immigration and stay" (외국 입국 체류 허가용)
- Available at any Korean police station or online with a passport or Korean ID. No fee, normally issued immediately.
- Foreign nationals who lived in Korea 6+ consecutive months use a police station with a foreign affairs division or a Korean embassy or consulate; up to one week.
- Since 31 May 2022, IRCC no longer requires certificates with lapsed records for Korea.
If it will not arrive in time, upload the receipt or online order confirmation. IRCC will request it later — and missing the deadline in that request letter means refusal. If the certificate has no expiry, pick a date at least a year after issue; if it has no document number, type N/A.
The medical exam — usually yes for Korean residents
IRCC's designated-country table lists Republic of Korea as "IME required: yes," with Manila as the medical office. Combine that with the rule for stays longer than 6 months where you lived in a designated country for 6+ consecutive months in the preceding year, and a Korea-based applicant taking a 24-month IEC permit normally needs one.
- Occupation triggers apply regardless of length of stay: health care settings, primary or secondary school settings, child care and elderly care.
- It must be done by an IRCC panel physician, and you upload the information printout sheet or IMM 1017B, not results.
- Results are valid 12 months. IRCC suggests waiting until you are invited before booking.
- Skipping it can mean refusal, or a permit with conditions barring jobs that require an exam.
Biometrics
After you pay all fees and submit, the biometric instruction letter arrives in your account within 24 hours, and you have 30 days to give biometrics in person. Temporary residence applicants give them once every 10 years, and no permit is issued beyond 10 years from that date.
2026 fees
| Item | CAD | Paid by |
|---|---|---|
| IEC participation fee | $184.75 | Applicant |
| Open work permit holder fee (Working Holiday) | $100 | Applicant |
| Biometrics | $85 (max $170 per family of 2+) | Applicant |
| Employer compliance fee (YP / Co-op) | $230 | Employer |
Upload mechanics that trip people up
- File size: 4 MB in the IRCC secure account, 5 MB in the IRCC Portal.
- Formats: secure account takes .jpg, .png, .doc, .tiff, .pdf; the Portal adds .docx.
- One file per field. IRCC: "You can only upload 1 file per field. If you try to upload multiple files in the same field, only 1 (the last one you upload) will be saved." Merge into a single PDF and save at 150 DPI or lower if it is too large.
- The photo is the exception — JPEG/JPEG2000 at 60–240 kB.
- Deadlines: 10 days to accept the invitation, 20 days from acceptance to submit, measured in UTC.
- The system blocks submission if a required document is missing.
FAQ
My police certificate will not arrive in time. Can I still apply? Yes. Upload the receipt or the online order confirmation in that slot. IRCC will request the certificate later, and you must meet the deadline in that letter or the application is refused.
Should I buy insurance early? You can, but IRCC recommends waiting for the port of entry letter of introduction. A policy that starts too early can end up shorter than your permit period and shorten the permit itself.
What if one slot needs several documents? Merge them into one file. Uploading several files to the same field keeps only the last one.
Official sources
- IRCC — Apply for an IEC work permit
- IRCC — Prepare for arrival (funds, insurance, biometrics)
- IRCC — Become an IEC candidate
- IRCC — Police certificates: Republic of Korea
- IRCC — Medical exam requirements for temporary residents
- IRCC — Designated countries and territories
- IRCC — When to give biometrics
- IRCC — Fee list
- IRCC Help Centre — upload size limits
- IRCC Help Centre — multiple documents in one field
