The short version
- To live in Canada, you need a permit to work or study, or permanent residence. A UK passport and an eTA only cover visits, which for most visitors last up to 6 months.
- If you are 18 to 35, International Experience Canada (IEC) lets British citizens work in Canada for up to 24 months, and you can take part twice.
- IEC runs in yearly seasons. IRCC said the final round of invitations for the 2026 season would be the week of 19 October 2026.
- For permanent residence, the main routes are Express Entry for skilled workers and sponsorship by a Canadian partner. A study permit is another way in.
Can you move to Canada from the UK?
Yes, once you have the right to live there: a work permit, a study permit or permanent residence. A UK passport lets you visit Canada. It does not let you live or work there.
The main routes for British citizens:
| Route | What you get | Main thing to show |
|---|---|---|
| Visit, with an eTA | Usually up to 6 months | A UK passport |
| IEC Working Holiday | An open work permit, up to 24 months | Age 18 to 35 |
| Study permit | A permit to study | A letter of acceptance |
| Express Entry | Permanent residence (PR) | Skilled work |
| Sponsorship by a partner | Permanent residence (PR) | A Canadian partner |
Do UK citizens need a visa to visit Canada?
No, but British citizens need an electronic travel authorization (eTA) to fly to or through a Canadian airport. IRCC, Canada's immigration department, lists British citizens as eTA travellers, not visa travellers.
- Cost: CAD 7, paid online.
- Speed: IRCC says most applications are approved within minutes.
- Valid for: up to five years, or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.
- By land or sea: eTA travellers do not need one when they arrive by car, bus, train or boat.
Most visitors can stay up to 6 months. If the border officer stamps your passport, you leave by the date on the stamp. To stay longer as a visitor, you apply for a visitor record before your status runs out, from CAD 100. A visitor record is not a visa, and a visit is not a move. To see where else your passport gets you in without a visa, look up the UK passport's visa-free list.
How does the IEC working holiday work for UK citizens?
It gives you an open work permit, so you can travel in Canada and take paid work to help pay for the trip. IRCC runs it as the Working Holiday category of International Experience Canada.
IRCC sets these rules for British citizens:
| Rule | For British citizens |
|---|---|
| Who | British citizens from the UK, Jersey or Guernsey |
| Age | 18 to 35, inclusive |
| Stay | Up to 24 months the first time |
| Money | At least CAD 2,500 |
| Health insurance | For your whole stay |
| Ticket | A return ticket, or the money to buy one |
| Family | Dependants cannot come with you |
Your passport must be valid for your whole stay, because the work permit cannot last longer than your passport. You may have to show your health insurance when you arrive.
New to the idea? Read how a working holiday visa works.
Can you do IEC more than once?
Yes, twice. IRCC says British citizens can take part in IEC two times:
- First time: up to 24 months, in any category.
- Second time: up to 12 months, in any category.
There is one older rule. If you took part before 2015, for up to 12 months, your second time can be up to 24 months. People who have already taken part twice cannot apply again.
What other IEC categories can UK citizens use?
Two more, with the same age, money and insurance rules as the Working Holiday:
- Young Professionals: for British citizens, including recent graduates, who want work experience in their field. You need a signed job offer or contract before you send your profile, and the job must help your career.
- International Co-op (Internship): for students enrolled at a college or university outside Canada. The work placement must be part of your course, and you need a signed offer first.
How do you apply for IEC from the UK?
You do not apply for the permit straight away. You first need an invitation. IRCC sets out the steps like this:
- Make an IEC profile online. It goes into the pool for your country and category.
- Wait for an invitation to apply (ITA). IRCC sends them in rounds.
- Once you accept an invitation, you have exactly 20 days to send your work permit application.
- Pay the fees, and give your fingerprints and photo (biometrics) if IRCC asks.
Places are set for each season. IRCC's rounds data, read on 18 October 2026, showed these 2026 quotas for the UK:
| UK category | 2026 places |
|---|---|
| Working Holiday | 9,346 |
| Young Professionals | 451 |
| International Co-op | 20 |
IRCC said the final round for the 2026 season would happen the week of 19 October 2026, for profiles sent before 9 a.m. Eastern Time that day. It posts each season's quotas and round dates on its rounds of invitations page as they are set. Ages, stays and costs for every passport are on our Canada working holiday visa page.
Can you study in Canada from the UK?
Yes, with a study permit. First you need a letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution (DLI), a school approved to take international students.
You also show money for living costs. For applications made on or after 1 September 2026, IRCC asks for CAD 23,448 a year for one person outside Québec. Tuition and travel come on top, and Québec sets its own figure. The permit fee is CAD 150. Work hours and the permit after you graduate are on our Canada student visa page.
How can a UK citizen get permanent residence in Canada?
For skilled workers, the main way is Express Entry. It is IRCC's online system for three programmes: the Canadian Experience Class, the Federal Skilled Worker Program and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. You make a profile, IRCC invites the people with the most points in rounds, and those invited apply.
Work you do in Canada on an IEC permit may help. The Canadian Experience Class counts Canadian work experience if it meets IRCC's rules:
- It is skilled work, in TEER categories 0, 1, 2 or 3 of Canada's job classification.
- You did it in Canada while you were allowed to work as a temporary resident.
- It was paid, and adds up to at least 1 year, or 1,560 hours, in the 3 years before you apply.
Work done while you were a full-time student, or while self-employed, does not count. There is a small exception for some doctors. Our guide on moving to Canada from the US walks through Express Entry's steps and fees.
Can a Canadian partner sponsor you?
Yes. A Canadian spouse, common-law partner or conjugal partner can sponsor you for permanent residence, if they meet IRCC's rules. The sponsor must:
- be at least 18;
- be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or a person registered under the Indian Act;
- live in Canada. A citizen living abroad must show they plan to live in Canada when you become a permanent resident. A permanent resident living abroad cannot sponsor.
In most cases there is no income requirement to sponsor a spouse or partner. Québec has its own extra rules. The fee is CAD 1,260, which includes the right of permanent residence fee.
Can you become Canadian through a parent?
Maybe. If one of your parents is Canadian, you may already be a citizen, even if you were born in the UK. Answer a few questions in our Canadian citizenship by descent checker to see where you stand.
How much does it cost to move to Canada from the UK?
A visit costs CAD 7 for the eTA, and an IEC working holiday costs CAD 284.75 in IRCC fees. These are the fees for the routes above, from IRCC's fee list, checked on 18 October 2026:
| Fee | Cost |
|---|---|
| eTA | CAD 7 |
| IEC fee | CAD 184.75 |
| Open work permit holder fee, Working Holiday only | CAD 100 |
| Biometrics, per person | CAD 85 |
| Study permit | CAD 150 |
| Sponsor a spouse or partner | CAD 1,260 |
Express Entry fees are on the IRCC fee list. Health insurance, tests and police certificates cost extra.
How is moving from the UK different from the US?
The working holiday is the big difference. British citizens can use IEC, and US passports are not on the IEC list. Express Entry, study permits and sponsorship are the same programmes for both.
If you are weighing up a working holiday, Australia also takes UK passports up to age 35, for up to three years. See how to move to Australia from the UK.