IEC travel insurance for your Canada working holiday

To enter Canada on under the International Experience Canada program, you must have health insurance for the entire duration of your stay in Canada. Your health insurance must cover:  

• Medical care 
• Hospitalisation 
• Repatriation including the cost of:  
• Getting you to a medical facility 
• Returning you to your home country or 
• Returning your remains to your home country 

If your health insurance doesn’t provide adequate cover in line with these requirements, you may be denied entry into Canada under the IEC program. Although you don’t have to have health insurance when you apply for the IEC program, you do need to have health insurance before you arrive in Canada.  

The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) advise IEC participants to purchase 1 policy to cover the entire length of their work permit. However, if this isn’t possible, the IRCC advises participants to purchase 2 consecutive policies instead. 

You may be able to take out a travel insurance policy with medical benefits from Fast Cover that provide adequate cover to meet the health insurance requirements under the IEC program.   

Depending on the policy chosen with Fast Cover Travel Insurance, cover may be available for the following benefits to help you meet the IEC health insurance requirements:   

• Overseas 24/7 Emergency Medical Assistance, 
• Overseas Emergency Medical and Hospital Expenses, 
• Overseas Emergency Dental, 
• Overseas Emergency Medical Evacuation and Repatriation, 
• Overseas Hospital Cash Payment 

Fast Cover’s IEC travel insurance is designed for Australians travelling to Canada under the IEC program. The IEC program provides unique pathways for Australian citizens aged 18-35 to travel and work in Canada for up to 2 years (24 months). This is a popular program allowing young Australians who intend to travel in Canada to find temporary paid employment to help pay for their trip through the following categories: 

1. Working Holiday  
2. Australian Young Professionals in Canada  
3. International Co-op (Internship) 

IEC applicants must meet Canada’s visa and entry requirements including obtaining the relevant work permits for their IEC stream. 

Medical care in Canada can be expensive, and IEC participants are required to have health insurance that includes medical care and hospitalisation. If you become unexpectedly ill or injured while in Canada, Fast Cover’s IEC travel insurance may be able to help with overseas emergency medical and hospital expenses, up to the limits in your policy. ^ 

Fast Cover’s International travel insurance policies are available to provide protection against the financial burden of reasonable and unexpected overseas emergency medical and hospital expenses associated with unexpected illness or injuries, incurred by you, for which you are not reimbursed, during your trip overseas. ^ 

IEC participants are required to have health insurance that includes cover for repatriation. If you experience a serious medical emergency during your IEC stay, Fast Cover may be able to help with the cost of getting you to the nearest hospital for emergency medical treatment or even flying you back to Australia, in circumstances covered under your policy. ^ 

Fast Cover’s travel insurance includes benefits for overseas emergency medical evacuation and repatriation expenses when these services are approved under your policy and arranged by Fast Cover. All evacuations and repatriations must be arranged and approved by Fast Cover before they take place. ^  

When you’re living or working overseas for an extended period, unexpected medical issues can be stressful, especially in a new country. With Fast Cover’s IEC travel insurance, you have access to our Australian-based Emergency Assistance team, available 24/7. ^ 

Depending on your situation, Fast Cover’s Emergency Medical Assistance team may be able to assist you during unexpected medical emergencies overseas by:   

• Locating and arranging overseas medical treatment or hospital admission 
• Coordinating approved medical evacuation or repatriation 
• Providing guidance on accessing local medical support services 

Preparing for a long stay in Canada can take months of planning, and cancelling your IEC trip unexpectedly can be costly. If you become unexpectedly ill, injured or experience another covered event under your policy that forces you to cancel your trip, Fast Cover’s Trip Cancellation Expenses benefit may reimburse the non-refundable payments you’ve already made. ^ 

IEC travellers often book flights and accommodation well in advance, so this benefit may help reduce some of the financial impact if your plans need to change due to an event covered by your policy. You can buy IEC travel insurance from Fast Cover up to 12 months before your departure date, allowing you to protect eligible non-refundable pre-paid trip costs. ^ 

Life on a working holiday often involves moving between hostels, shared houses, job sites and new cities. If your luggage or personal items are lost, stolen or accidentally damaged during your trip, Fast Cover’s IEC travel insurance may offer cover for eligible belongings such as laptops, phones, cameras and other valuables. ^

Benefit limits and sub-limits apply to individual items, and conditions outline how and when cover applies. Make sure to read the PDS for full details on covered events, exclusions and the steps you must take if something happens to your belongings. ^ 

With so much to see and do on your Canadian working holiday, travel delays can be part of the journey too. If your pre-booked transport is cancelled and rescheduled or delayed in situations covered under your policy, Fast Cover’s Travel Delay Expenses benefit may be able to reimburse you for the reasonable cost of extra meals and accommodation. ^ 

This benefit may provide up to $200 per adult traveller for every 24-hour period of delay, once your scheduled transport has been delayed by at least 6 hours due to circumstances outside your control. This may help support you if unexpected delays interrupt your travel plans within or to Canada. ^ 

If your IEC adventure includes more than café-hopping and sightseeing, Fast Cover’s Adventure Pack gives travellers the option to include cover for an extended list of adventure activities. This may help if your working holiday involves outdoor activities or seasonal jobs where higher-risk recreation is common. ^ 

 Examples of some activities that require the Adventure Pack include:   

• Abseiling   
• Outdoor rock climbing   
• Quad biking   
• Tandem parachuting and tandem skydiving   
• Sailing from 10 -15 nautical miles off any land mass    
• Scuba diving up to a depth of 30 m   
• Water skiing, jet skiing, and speedboating    

Conditions apply for activities under our Adventure Pack so make sure to read the PDS for full T&Cs.   

The Adventure Pack is available at an additional premium as an optional cover for Aussie travellers aged 74 and under (at the date of policy issue) when they purchase a Comprehensive, Standard Saver, Snow Sports Plus, Domestic Plus or Frequent Traveller Saver policy. ^   

For more details, visit our page on travel insurance for adventure activities.   

Exploring new cities or regional areas by motorcycle, moped or scooter is common for IEC travellers during weekend trips or cross-country travel. 

Fast Cover’s Motorcycle Pack is an optional extra that you can add to your travel insurance policy that may provide cover to you for being the rider or passenger on a:    

• Motorcycle,    
• Moped, or   
• Scooter. ^   

The Motorcycle Pack is available at an additional premium for Aussie travellers aged 74 years and under at the date of policy issue when they purchase an international travel insurance policy. ^   

For more details visit our page on travel insurance for riding a motorcycle overseas and read our PDS for terms and conditions of cover for the Motorcycle Pack.   

Many IEC travellers rent cars or campervans to explore Canada’s national parks, ski resorts and regional towns. Rental vehicle insurance often includes a large excess, which travellers may be required to pay if the vehicle is damaged or stolen. 

Depending on the policy you choose and on payment of additional premium, Fast Cover’s Rental Vehicle Excess benefit, may provide cover of up to $8,000 for the rental vehicle excess component of your rental vehicle insurance with your car hire company overseas. ^

The rental vehicle excess benefit applies to a:   

• Sedan, hatchback, or station wagon,      
• Four-wheel drive or minibus/people mover, or   
• Campervan or motorhome (up to 4.5 tonnes),    

rented from a licensed motor vehicle rental company (including vehicles rented from peer-to-peer carsharing platforms). ^   

For more details visit our page on rental vehicle excess cover and read our PDS for terms and conditions of cover for rental vehicle excess.    

Many IEC travellers bring valuable items such as laptops, cameras or phones. If you want a higher level of cover for valuable  belongings, you can choose to insure them as Specified High Value Items for an additional premium. ^ 

Below are some examples of items you may be able to specify as high value items which will be listed on your certificate of insurance to confirm cover. 

• Phone   
• Laptop  
• Camera   

For more details visit our page on travel insurance for luggage and personal effects and read our PDS on terms and conditions of cover for luggage and personal effects.   

Many IEC travellers head to Canada specifically for snow season work or spend their downtime skiing and snowboarding. If your trip involves snow sports, answer yes to ‘Skiing or Snowboarding’ during your quote. This will give you the option to purchase a “Snow Sports Plus Policy” which can provide cover for costs associated with ski and snow sports. ^Below are some examples of things that may be covered in your snow sports benefits: 

• loss or theft of, or accidental damage to snow sports equipment, 
• for hiring replacement snow sports equipment that is necessary to continue with your original itinerary if snow sports equipment owned by you has been misdirected or delayed for a period of more than 24-hours, or has been accidentally damaged, lost or stolen during your trip, 
• if you are injured or become sick during your trip and are unable to utilise the full duration of your pre-booked and pre-paid lift passes, snow sports equipment hire, or lessons, we will reimburse you the percentage amount of the unused portion for each insured person, and 
• the cost of transport and lift passes at an alternate ski resort,  

in conditions and circumstances covered under your policy and as per limits and sub limits set out in our PDS. ^  

The Snow Sports Plus policy is available at an additional premium for Aussie travellers aged 69 and under at the date of policy issue, when they purchase an international travel insurance policy. ^  

For more details visit our page on travel insurance for skiing and snowboarding and read our PDS for terms and conditions of cover for Snow Sports.  

Some IEC travellers take the opportunity to explore North America by cruise during their stay, whether it’s Alaska, Hawaii, the Inside Passage or the Caribbean. If your plans involve cruising, you’ll need to add Cruise Cover to your IEC travel insurance at the time of purchase. ^

If you are travelling on a cruise ship and wish to be covered for it, you must specify cruise cover at the time of purchase based on your destination and length of your cruise trip:

• If you are travelling within Australian waters, the New Zealand or the South Pacific region for 1night or more, you must specify cruise cover at the time of purchase  
• If you are travelling on a cruise within Asia, Europe or Worldwide regions for 4 nights or more, you must specify cruise cover at the time of purchase.  

By adding this option, your existing travel insurance benefits will extend to when you’re on a cruise. Adding cruise cover to your policy allows you to have cover both on board and on land, helping you stay covered throughout your entire trip. ^ 

For more details, visit our page on travel insurance for cruises and read our PDS for terms and conditions of cover for travelling on cruise ships. 

It is an entry requirement for IEC applicants to have health insurance for the entire duration of their stay in Canada. The health insurance must cover medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation. Typical health insurance may not cover other travel related events.

Fast Cover's international travel insurance policies provide cover for overseas emergency medical and hospital expenses, as well as overseas emergency evacuation and repatriation benefits, helping you meet your IEC health insurance requirements while also providing cover for a range of unexpected situations that may arise during your travel that health insurance alone would not cover. ^

Please note that Fast Cover does not determine if your travel insurance policy meets IEC health insurance requirements. As IEC entry requirements may change over time, it is your responsibility to verify whether the medical coverage on your chosen travel insurance policy meets the IEC health insurance requirement. It is recommended to consult the IRCC or Canadian embassy for specific details.

Living out of a suitcase for months at a time can mean your belongings are always on the move, between hostels or shared housing, work shifts, bus rides and road trips. If your luggage or personal belongings are lost, stolen or damaged, it can cause real setbacks, especially when you rely on items like your personal computer or laptop and your phone or your camera.

With Fast Cover’s Luggage and Personal Effects benefit, cover may be available for loss, theft or accidental damage to your belongings while travelling. Always check the PDS for limits and sub-limits, as the full replacement value may not be payable. ^

Most IEC travellers book flights, hostels, internal transport and prepaid activities well in advance. If you become unexpectedly ill, injured or experience another covered event and must cancel before departure, you could lose significant pre-paid costs.

IEC travel insurance may help reimburse the cost of non-refundable pre-paid trip bookings if you need to cancel your trip due to events covered by your policy, helping reduce some of the financial impact before you’ve even made it to Canada. ^

If you need to cancel your trip due to an existing medical condition, you could be out of pocket for the bookings you’ve already paid for. You may wish to check if your IEC travel insurance can provide cover for trip cancellation expenses if you need to cancel your trip due to your existing medical condition. 

With Fast Cover, you can apply for cover for existing medical conditions through a medical screening. In some cases, an additional premium may apply if you want cover for your condition included under your policy. ^

IEC life isn’t just about work, many travellers plan to go to a wedding, cruise, or tour with friends. If your scheduled transport is delayed, cancelled or diverted due to an event covered by your policy, you may need to pay extra to get to your important event on time. Consider if your IEC travel insurance can provide cover for special event transport expenses.

Some Fast Cover policies include Special Event Transport Expenses, which may provide cover for reasonable additional travel costs to help you get where you need to be when the unexpected happens. ^

Canada’s weather can be unpredictable. Severe weather like snowstorms or wildfires can delay flights or disrupt your routes. If your transport is delayed for reasons covered by your policy, you may face additional accommodation or meal costs while you wait.

Some Fast Cover policies include the Travel Delay Expenses benefit or the Trip Disruption Expenses benefit that may cover reasonable extra meals and accommodation expenses up to the limits outlined in the PDS. ^

These are only some of the situations that you might wish to consider when deciding if you need IEC travel insurance.

Before deciding whether you need IEC travel insurance, please do your own research on the Canadian government requirements and read the PDS to understand what our policies will and won’t cover, any conditions or exclusions that may apply to you, and whether the policy provides the cover that you’re looking for. Any advice provided is general in nature and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs.

For IEC travellers, the best policy isn’t necessarily the most expensive one, it’s the policy that gives you the level of cover that helps meet your IEC health insurance requirements and matches the way you’ll be living and travelling in Canada. If you’re comparing options, look closely at what each policy includes, such as:

• Overseas emergency medical and hospital expenses 
• Overseas emergency medical evacuation and repatriation 
• Cancellation and disruption benefits 
• Luggage and personal effects cover 

Understanding the benefits, limits and sub-limits can help you decide which policy is suitable for your IEC stay. 

Fast Cover offers a range of cover levels so you can choose an option that matches your plans, whether you’re working a ski season, moving across provinces, or taking side trips to nearby countries. 

Many IEC travellers return to Australia temporarily, for family events, personal reasons or simply a break from long-term overseas living. When comparing policies, ensure that your IEC travel insurance allows you to return home without voiding your cover if the reason for your visit home isn’t a claimable event.

Fast Cover policies allow you to return home for reasons like attending a wedding, celebrating a birthday or feeling homesick, and then resume your IEC trip as long as you still have at least 14 days left on your policy and you resume your trip within 6 months of return. Your travel costs home and back may not be covered, unless you are required to return home due to emergency listed in your policy, but your policy will remain valid until the original end date shown on your Certificate of Insurance.

Many IEC travellers take part in adventurous activities such as hiking above 3000m up to 6000m, quad biking or outdoor rock climbing, participate in snow sports such as skiing or snowboarding or plan to ride a motorcycle. When comparing IEC travel insurance policies, check whether you can customise your cover to include the activities you plan to do.

Cover for adventure activities, riding a motorcycle or participating in snow sports may require an additional optional benefit to be added, may incur an additional premium and may have different age limits to standard terms. At Fast Cover, you can add on the Adventure Pack, Motorcycle Pack or upgrade your policy to a Snow Sports Plus policy to have cover for the additional activities. ^

When you’re living overseas for an extended period, health and safety are important considerations. Medical costs in Canada can be expensive, and IEC travellers are required to have insurance that includes cover for medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation.

When comparing travel insurance options, consider a policy that provides 24/7 overseas emergency medical assistance. This can be particularly helpful if you become unexpectedly sick or injured and need help navigating the healthcare system, finding a suitable hospital or organising approved medical evacuation or repatriation. With Fast Cover’s IEC travel insurance, you have access to our Australian-based Emergency Assistance team anytime, day or night, if an unexpected medical emergency occurs during your trip. ^

IEC travellers often stay in Canada for 12–24 months, moving between provinces or extending their plans after their working holiday ends. Choosing travel insurance that covers the full length of your stay is important. When comparing policies, check how long your cover lasts, whether it includes every destination, and if you can extend your policy mid-trip if your plans change. This helps ensure your insurance truly matches the length and scope of your journey.

Fast Cover travel insurance policies can provide cover for up to 24 months (when extended and approved), giving IEC travellers flexibility if they decide to stay longer. ^

IEC travellers rarely stay put. Many take side trips to the USA, Mexico or Japan, or travel through other regions once their working holiday ends. Choosing a policy that supports multi-country travel can make things easier. When comparing policies, check if their regional is flexible and fits your itinerary and whether you can add more countries as you travel. 

With Fast Cover IEC travel insurance, you can choose cover by region instead of listing every individual country, suitable for multi-country trips, backpacking adventures, or cruises with multiple stops during your IEC period. Fast Cover offers six region options that you can choose from: Worldwide, Europe, Asia, South Pacific, New Zealand and Domestic.  

These are just some of the considerations that you might wish to take into account when reviewing the best IEC travel insurance, so you know what cover is available to you before and during your trip and under what conditions. 

Before you decide on the best IEC travel insurance for your trip, you should read the PDS to check what the policy will and won’t cover you for, any conditions and exclusions that might apply to you and whether the policy provides the cover that you’re looking for. Any advice is general advice only and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs or any government requirements. 

It is important to note that your travel insurance policy may not provide cover if you do not comply with Canada’s visa or other entry requirements under the IEC program. To help ensure you are prepared for your trip, you should research and understand the relevant entry conditions before you travel to Canada.

If you become injured while breaking the law, there are various conditions and exclusions that may apply which means you may not be covered. For example, this may include riding a motorcycle without the required helmet, or while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Remember that possession of certain drugs is illegal and different countries will have different laws. Using drugs or selling them can land you in trouble with the law overseas.

Whilst it may not be illegal to have a drink overseas, alcohol consumption laws vary from country to country, and between regions within some countries.

Make sure to research your travel destinations and follow the local laws. Keep in mind that if you’ve drunk alcohol excessively, there are certain exclusions that may likely apply to your travel insurance policy. As an example, if you’re under the influence of alcohol and you stumble and hurt yourself, you may not have cover under your policy.

Certain drugs are illegal in some countries, and you may not be covered by your international travel insurance policy when you’ve consumed drugs or been involved in drug related activities.

If you’re injured in an accident while, for example, riding a motorcycle, and you didn’t add the Motorcycle Pack to your travel insurance policy, you may be responsible for paying your medical and hospital expenses because you did not choose to include cover for that under your policy.

It is important to think about what activities you will be participating in so that you have the right cover for the activities you plan to do overseas.

If your belongings are stolen while unattended or unsupervised, you may not be able to claim for the stolen item. For example, if you leave your bag with your wallet and passport inside it on the beach while you go for a swim, this may be considered leaving your belongings unattended, in which case you may not be covered.

Make sure you keep your belongings with you at all times or keep them in a secure location or take reasonable measures to secure them at all times and at all places.

There are exclusions that may apply for regular or routine check-ups or filling regular prescriptions as they are not considered medical emergencies. If you require regular medication, bring enough of what you’ll need for your holiday overseas before you leave Australia.

Should the Australian Government release a warning on official government Smartraveller website that certain areas overseas are no longer safe to travel to and you still choose to travel there anyway, there may be exclusions that will apply; such as if you do not follow advice in the mass media or where a travel advisory risk rating of Do Not Travel was issued on the Smarttraveller website after policy purchase. 

Note: We are unable to offer travel insurance to international destinations that have a Do Not Travel warning on official government Smartraveller website. To check which countries we may cover, enter your destination country in the quote box on our website. 

Known events are usually considered as serious situations, from natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, to disease outbreaks, which can affect your holiday plans and also the cover on your overseas travel insurance policy.  

If you buy your international travel insurance after an event is a known event, the cover on your policy may be affected. You should check for any Travel Alerts that may have been issued for your overseas travel destination as well as information on the official government Smartraveller website so you know where you stand with regards to the cover that you will have on your IEC travel insurance policy.  

Perhaps your accommodation in Banff isn’t what you expected, the weather ruins your Whistler snow season, or a tour feels underwhelming. Whatever the reason you’re unhappy with how your trip has shaped up, your IEC travel insurance is not intended to compensate you because you didn’t enjoy your time there.