Moving to Canada from South Korea: IEC, Express Entry and Study

Korean citizens are visa-exempt and can use IEC, so many try living and working in Canada before deciding to stay.

Military service. Korean men who have not finished military service may need Korean government permission to live abroad. Check the Military Manpower Administration's rules before you plan a long stay.

South Korean citizens are visa-exempt. To fly to or through a Canadian airport you need an eTA, which costs CAD $7 and lasts up to 5 years or until your passport expires. You don't need one when you arrive by land or sea. Visitors can usually stay up to 6 months, and the border officer decides the exact period.

If IRCC approves a work or study permit for you, it issues your eTA automatically.

Where to give biometrics. Most applicants aged 14 to 79 give fingerprints and a photo at a visa application center (VAC). IRCC lists VACs in South Korea in Seoul. If you live in another country, you can use any VAC. See our biometrics guide.

Processing times depend on the country you apply from and change every week. Check the processing times tool before you plan a move date.

Yes. South Korea is an International Experience Canada partner, and IRCC lists Working Holiday, Young Professionals, and International Co-op (Internship) categories for Korean citizens. The age limit, length of stay, and number of places come from the Canada-Korea arrangement, so check IRCC's IEC pages before you enter the pool.

IEC works by random invitation from a pool. Fees as of September 2026: CAD $184.75 participation fee, plus CAD $100 open work permit holder fee for Working Holiday, and CAD $85 for biometrics if needed. You must show at least CAD $2,500 and health insurance for your whole stay. See IEC working holiday.

If you work full time in a skilled job (TEER 0 to 3) for 1 year during IEC, you may qualify for the Canadian Experience Class.

Korean applicants often have strong education and technical skills, and English test scores are usually the main thing to improve. Canadian work experience from IEC or a PGWP makes a big difference to your CRS score.

Express Entry covers three programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. From abroad, most people use FSW: at least 1 year of continuous skilled work (TEER 0 to 3) in the last 10 years, CLB 7 in English or French, an educational credential assessment for foreign degrees, 67 points on the FSW grid, and settlement funds (CAD $15,263 for one person in IRCC's current proof of funds table). Candidates are ranked by the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), and job offers stopped adding CRS points on March 25, 2025. Check your score with the CRS calculator.

2026 categories and how they fit:

Between July and mid-September 2026, French draws invited 5,000 candidates each with cutoffs of 382 to 420, a health care draw cut off at 475, and CEC draws at 516 to 523. There were no STEM, education, or trades draws in that period. See 2026 Express Entry categories and the draw tracker.

Many Koreans study in Canada, from English programs to college and graduate degrees. Courses of 6 months or less can be taken as a visitor with an eTA, but they don't give work rights or a PGWP.

Study permits in 2026. Canada caps new study permit applications: in 2026 IRCC accepts about 309,670 applications that need a provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL). Most college and bachelor's students need one; master's and doctoral students at public institutions don't. You must show tuition plus living funds (CAD $23,448 for one person outside Quebec, for applications from September 1, 2026). See the study permit page and the 2026 cap.

After graduating, a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) needs CLB 7 for university graduates or CLB 5 for college graduates, and non-degree programs must be in an eligible field. Canadian study and work can add CRS points and lead to the Canadian Experience Class.

Work permits. Most foreign workers need a job offer and a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from the employer; see LMIA work permits. Low-wage LMIAs are refused in 26 of 41 metro areas for July 10 to October 8, 2026 (details). Tech employers can use the Global Talent Stream, and multinationals can use an intra-company transfer. The Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement also gives some business people, such as certain intra-company transferees and investors, easier temporary entry.

If your spouse or partner is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, they can sponsor you through spousal sponsorship, which is open in 2026 and usually has no minimum income rule. Parents can also sponsor dependent children. The Parents and Grandparents Program stopped taking new interest to sponsor forms on July 15, 2026, but the Super Visa still lets parents and grandparents visit for long periods.

Citizenship. Canada allows dual citizenship, but Korean law generally ends Korean nationality when an adult voluntarily takes another citizenship, with limited exceptions. Check Korean rules before you apply for Canadian citizenship.

Language tests. IRCC accepts five tests for permanent residence: IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, and PTE Core for English, and TEF Canada and TCF Canada for French. IELTS Academic and PTE Academic don't count for Express Entry. Results are valid for 2 years. In South Korea, IELTS General Training and PTE Core are available. CELPIP-General has limited locations outside Canada, so check celpip.ca. TEF Canada and TCF Canada are offered at approved French-language centers. Convert your scores with the CLB converter and read the language tests guide.

Credential assessment. If you studied outside Canada, you need an educational credential assessment (ECA) from an IRCC-designated organization, such as World Education Services (WES), for FSW eligibility and CRS points. Doctors use the Medical Council of Canada and pharmacists use the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada. An ECA is valid for 5 years.

Police certificate. IRCC asks for a police certificate from each country where you spent 6 months or more in a row since age 18, usually after you apply for permanent residence. Koreans get a Criminal (Investigation) Records Check Report from the Korean National Police Agency. In Korea, apply in person at any police station and state that it is for immigration and stay in a foreign country; it is free and usually issued right away. From abroad, apply through the nearest Korean embassy or consulate, which can take up to a week. Full details: IRCC's police certificate instructions for South Korea. See our police certificates guide.

You will also need an immigration medical exam with an IRCC panel physician when IRCC asks for it.

Korean Canadians live mainly in the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario, including North York and the Koreatown area on Bloor Street, and Metro Vancouver in British Columbia, especially Coquitlam, Burnaby, and Surrey. Calgary in Alberta and Montreal also have communities. Korean churches, grocery stores, and community associations help newcomers settle.