Italy and Canada: New Bilateral Agreement for Youth Mobility on Training and Work

A new bilateral agreement is now in force (since 1 November 2022) for Italian and Canadian citizens aged between 18 and 35.

The new Agreement aims to promote, among the new Italian and Canadian generations, a better knowledge of culture, society, and languages through travel experiences, work, and life in the other country.

What does the agreement stipulate?

The bilateral youth mobility agreement between Italy and Canada entered into force on 1 November and it offers professional training opportunities to young Italian and Canadian citizens aged between 18 and 35 who are entering the world of work.

For 2023, there will be 2,000 young people per State who will be able to benefit from this Agreement. The new Agreement replaces the 2006 Memorandum of Understanding between Italy and Canada on “Working Holidays” and expands its scope, with the Italian extension of the work permit to 12 months and the introduction of new categories of participants.

What new categories are now available?

In particular, it includes the following three categories:

a) “Working Holidays” for those who intend to travel to the host country and temporarily work during their stay;

b) “Young workers” dedicated to those who have already obtained an employment contract in the host country, in support of their professional development or pertaining to their previous field of study;

c) “International internship” aimed at students enrolled in a course at a post-secondary level institute of study who have obtained an internship relevant to their field of study in the host country, as a requirement of their academic curriculum. It should be noted that visa applicants must have a valid travel document, with an expiry date of at least three months longer than that of the requested visa.

Furthermore, interested parties must be aged between 18 and 35 (inclusive) on the date on which the application is received.

The validity of the visa will be commensurate with the expected duration of the stay in Italy, in any case not exceeding 12 months.

For futher information, check also: https://www.esteri.it/en/opportunita/scambi_giovanili/accordo-in-materia-di-mobilita-giovanile-tra-litalia-e-il-canada/