A working holiday in Canada also provides an excellent opportunity to visit the neighbouring USA. This article details everything you need to know about visiting the USA while on a working holiday in Canada.
For citizens of participating Visa Waiver Program countries, it is a pretty easy process overall.
There are, however, a few things you definitely should know if planning to visit the USA before heading to Canada to activate your IEC work permit. Read on for all the details and start planning your trip to the States now!
Last updated October 2022.
If flying to the USA from Canada:
Visitors travelling to the USA by plane or boat must have prior authorisation to do so with a valid ESTA.
- An ESTA is simply an electronic authorisation to board a plane or a boat to the USA, no more and no less
- Make sure you use the official government website to purchase your ESTA
- The ESTA application cost is $21 but there are plenty of third party agency websites out there who will be happy to charge double or triple that (or more!)
- It only takes around 15-20 minutes to fill out the application
- Don’t leave to the last minute – you should apply for an ESTA at least 72 hours before travel
- Most people will get a response within 72 hours after submitting their application
- Your approved ESTA is valid for flights into the USA for two years
- On arrival in the USA, you will be assessed for entry with the Visa Waiver Program (more info below)
Being admitted into the USA: the Visa Waiver Program
On arrival at the US border, you need to be approved for the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)
- The VWP allows citizens of 38 countries to visit the USA for stays up to 90 days without a visa
- Eligibility for the Visa Waiver Program is determined when crossing the US border
- Fingerprints and a photograph will be taken
- Visitors arriving at a land border need to complete a green I94 form with details of their intended visit (more details below)
Visa Waiver Program eligibility
To be eligible for the VWP, visitors to the USA must:
- Intend to enter the USA for 90 days or less for business, pleasure or transit
- Have a valid passport (issued by a Visa Waiver Program country)
- Be a citizen of one of the Visa Waiver Program countries
- Have a return or onward ticket. (Onward) travel does not terminate in contiguous territory or adjacent islands unless the traveler is a resident of one of those areas
Source – U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Contiguous territory or adjacent islands to the USA is considered Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean Islands and Bermuda.
Arriving into the USA By land
Here is the process of crossing a land border into the USA from Canada.
From 1st October 2022, all visitors (with the exception of Canadians) must have a valid ESTA to cross the land border. Applying for the ESTA at least 72 hours in advance is recommended. The cost is $21USD – be sure to apply via the official government website.
After reaching the US border booths (sorry, there is no way to skip the queue!), you will be directed to a secondary building.
Here, you will fill out the green I94W card with your personal info and travel plans. This card will then be stapled into your passport.
- Have the address ready for the first place you intend to stay as this is required when filling out the I94W card
- A photo and fingerprints will be taken after you have completed the card
- Payment for the I94W is $6USD and can only be paid with credit card or US cash
- If you visit the USA with a valid I94W already in your passport, it is unlikely you will need to enter the secondary inspection building so entry will be faster
Important! After leaving the USA for the last time, be sure to hand in your I94W (the green card) to Canadian officials. They are supposed to pass it to the US border guards who will record the date of your departure.
If you leave the I94W in your passport and visit the USA again after its expiry, it is likely that you will be questioned (and not in a good way) about your prior leaving date.
The problem of visiting the USA before a working holiday in Canada
To travel in or through the USA you must comply with the Visa Waiver Program requirements noted above.
IEC participants who have not yet activated their work permit in Canada need proof of onward travel out of North America (USA, Mexico, Canada, Caribbean Islands and Bermuda) within 90 days of arrival in the USA.
Not having onward travel plans outside of this area means that you may encounter issues when trying to enter the USA.
After activating an IEC work permit, you are considered a resident of Canada and as such, do not need to prove onward travel beyond North America within 90 days of their arrival in the USA.
While there are undoubtedly many IEC participants who travel through the USA on their way to Canada without any problems, a few people have contacted my IEC Facebook group and let us know that they were stopped and asked to purchase a flight out of North America within the 90-day period. There is a risk, albeit a relatively small one.
How to avoid the Visa Waiver Program issue
It is understandable that many IEC participants will still want to visit the USA before heading to Canada for their working holiday. If you’re one of them, there are two main options to comply with the Visa Waiver Program requirements:
- Book onward travel beyond North America
- Apply for a US Visa
The easiest way is to purchase a method of onward travel beyond North America, with the departure within 90 days of your arrival in the USA. Most airlines have refundable flight options.
An alternative way to avoid this Visa Waiver Program issue is to apply for a US visa. Visa holders are exempt from needing to have onward travel from North America within 90 days.
A B2 Visa, for example, is for people visiting the USA for the purpose of tourism, pleasure, or visit to friends and family. The application is much more involved than the VWP and requires an interview at a US Embassy or Consulate.
And, of course, the third option is to take a risk. It’s never an option I would personally recommend, however.
General advice about visiting the USA while on a working holiday in Canada
While the vast majority of crossings into the USA by IEC working holiday participants go without issue, a minority of people experience a delay in entry. Here are some quick tips to make your border crossing go more smoothly:
- Have definite plans. Speaking to the US border officials confidently about your travel plans is key. Although you don’t need to provide a specific itinerary, you should be able to explain clearly and concisely why you want to visit the USA
- Take care of your appearance. Looking presentable can go a long way with having an easy border crossing into the USA. It sounds obvious but sure to wear clean clothes, brush your hair and wash your face before heading to the border
- Tidy up. If driving into the USA, make sure your vehicle is presentable too. Having your vehicle searched definitely slows down the border entry process. Cleaner vehicles look as though they have less to hide. This is especially important if you are driving a campervan or RV into the USA
- Check your vehicle for contraband. Although cannabis may now be legal in Canada (and some US states) you are not allowed to bring any over the border. If applicable, check your vehicle/luggage for cannabis and paraphernalia before trying to cross the border into the USA
A free pass into the USA – one of my visa waiver experiences
Having lived in Canada for quite a few years now, I’ve hopped over the border a fair few times. At the moment, I live close enough to go for dinner. One of my most memorable experiences, however, was when I was travelling to Skagway, Alaska from Yukon Territory.
The border, for reference, is on the edge of a valley surrounded by jagged mountains. Picturesque, but I still wanted to get the border crossing process over and done with as soon as possible.
At the secondary inspection building, the only other person there was a Dutch IEC working holiday participant. After eavesdropping for a few minutes, I learned that he was in something of a stalemate with the US border official.
He had planned to pay the $6 fee with his Canadian debit card but this wasn’t accepted (if only he’d read a post such as this before leaving Canada!) Paying with a credit card was also not possible at their machines were currently down.
Without any US cash on hand, both men seemed to be a complete loss of what to do. Their conversation went around and around for quite a long time, with no resolution.
I started counting my money in the midst of the conversation and realised I had exactly $12.40, just enough to cover both of us. The border official was thankful yet also quite surprised.
In the end, he decided to waive both of our fees. I’m not sure why he didn’t do that in the first place, but it just goes to show how handy it can be to have at least a handful of local currency before visiting a country.
Read these useful IEC working holiday articles next
How to File a Tax Return after your Working Holiday in Canada
7 Must Do Experiences on your Canadian working holiday
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One half of the Canadian/British couple behind Off Track Travel, Gemma is happiest when hiking on the trail or planning the next big travel adventure. JR and Gemma are currently based in the beautiful Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada. Consider buying us a coffee if you have find any of our guides helpful!
Hi Gemma, thank you for your valuable information. I have a couple of questions:
1) I am a dual UK-US citizen. The UK citizenship entitles me to apply for a Working Holiday Visa, but then as the US citizenship gives me an exemption from having to obtain an ETA for general holiday visits to Canada, would this also waive me from having to obtain it for the entire Working Holiday Visa validity period? Would the US passport be all I need to cross into America, or is it safer to take the WHV and other documents to the border too?
2) If I obtain a job in a profession which is eligible for Express Entry and therefore intend to use the two years of work to accumulate towards that program’s requisite work experience, would it break up my “contiguous work period” (my words) if I took occasional weekends off over the border? Or would this not be an issue provided that I was assured of only being there on Saturday and Sunday, not during normal working week hours? Would doing this affect the validity of the WHV in any other way?
Hi James,
An ETA for your British passport will be automatically issued with your IEC work permit, so you would have no problems flying into Canada. For your second question, going to the USA for weekends would be fine. If you’re looking to apply for Express Entry via the Canadian Experience Class you must have either one year of full-time work (they define this as 30 hours/week for 12 months) or the equal amount in part-time hours (e.g. 15 hours/week for 24 months). More info here https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/eligibility/canadian-experience-class.html
Hi Gemma!
This is really helpful. So just to get this right…
I’m a UK citizen and I want to travel to Nashville during my IEC in Canada. So long as I apply for an ESTA and a VWP, I’ll be let back into Canada without re-consideration?
Thanks!
Hi Hollie,
If you’re on a working holiday in Canada, you’ll still be reassessed at the Canadian border as any other visitor or temporary resident would be. The IEC work permit alone does not guarantee reentry (it is NOT a visa). You’re unlikely to have any issues though as long as you haven’t done anything illegal in the USA and your IEC work permit is still valid.
The ESTA and Visa Waiver Program relate to entering the USA only.
Thank you so much for this!! I’ve been looking for an article that clearly and concisely answered our questions about crossing the border from the US to Canada. It was as we thought but very grateful for the handy hints. Cheers!
You’re welcome Lauren!
Hey Gemma,
Thank you so much for all this information! I have a question about part of this – you’ve said that if you enter Canada first and activate my work permit, I’m considered a resident and so can enter the US through that. Will there be anything on my work permit that states this? Or when I get to the US border, do I just explain what permit I’m on and that I’m considered a resident?
Thanks so much!
Hi Cassie
The US border officers will take care of everything for you.
Hi Gemma thank you so much for the info! I am currently in Canada on a work and holiday visa and wish to travel the US for 6 months via van, instead of the 90 days is this at all possible?
Hi Paul, you’d need to apply for a visa in that case. Check out the B2 visa, but be aware that if you get rejected for it, it will have an impact on any future visits you may want to make to the US.
Hi, Andrej from Slovakia here. I got my IEC PoE letter and I am preparing to leave for Canada in the upcoming weeks.
First of all – thank you for this straightforward article with all details. It is indeed very helpful.
Keeping the current COVID-19 travel restrictions in mind, I believe is still pretty much impossible to travel between Canada and the USA. I hope this might change in the upcoming months.
My question for times these strict restrictions will be eventually lifted and I will be allowed to travel to the USA by land (with the car) with my IEC already activated in Canada:
If I buy some electronics (namely the newest iPhone for personal use) on my trip in USA, do I need to pay border duties upon my return to Canada, or will I be excluded from such taxation as non-Canadian?
Hi Andrej,
You are correct that non-essential travel through the Canada/US border is still not allowed. It’s possible to fly to the US, however.
In answer to your question, I’m honestly not sure. Sorry! I’m hoping that by publishing your comments, perhaps a reader will know. You could also post this question in my IEC Facebook group.
Hi Gemma,
Firstly thanks for the article it’s one of the only sources of information I have managed to find on this topic online!
I am visiting Mexico then New York (to see family) before travelling to Canada to activate my POE in April. I am a UK citizen so I qualify for the Visa Waiver Programme and will purchase an ESTA. Unfortunately I didn’t realise that a flight to Canada would not count as proof of onward travel for entry to the US and I have already booked all my flights. I don’t want to cause an issue at the US border or affect my ability to visit the US in the future.
I wondered if it would be possible to purchase a flight out of Canada (within the 90 day period) which I can show alongside my flight from NYC to Vancouver as proof that I will be leaving the US within 90 days. Once I am in Canada and I activate the WHV I will cancel the flight out of Canada and would now be considered a temporary resident of Canada (thereby exempt from the 90 day rule).
My question is have you heard of anyone doing this?
I am just wondering because there must be cases of people visiting the US and then Canada just for tourism.
Or would it be better to book a flight out of New York within the 90 day window and cancel it after I’ve got to Canada and alert border control that I have left the US.
Or third option would be to fly out of New York to the cheapest location and then back to Vancouver to activate my POE. This seems like a waste of carbon and money though so it’s not my preferred option…
I am not sure what to do and my travel is so soon.
Thanks 🙂
Hi Katharine,
I’ve definitely heard about people doing all three of these options before. Keep in mind that the vast majority of people do not experience any issues with the ESTA requirements at all. So it’s unlikely you’ll even be asked about it.
@Katharine,
Hey Katharine,
it’s three and a half years later, but I have exactly the same case/problem.
Which of the three options did you choose and did you have any problems or was it easy going?
Thank you very much for your answer.
Hi Gemma!
Was wondering if I can get your advice. I am currently in Canada as a visitor and want to go on a two week trip to the States, and then activate my IEC visa on the way back into Canada. Will I have any troubles with this as I am already in Canada?
Hi Chelsee,
That depends if you’re entering the USA by land or air. If you’re flying into the USA, then technically you’d be breaking the ESTA rules which require participants to have an onward ticket out of the USA that does not terminate in contiguous territory (which Canada is). This rule is not consistently followed, however, so you may have no issues at all. You’re not considered a resident of Canada until you’ve actually activated the IEC.
Hello Gemma,
I am currently in Canada on an IEC work permit and I’m wanting to go and visit family in the US for a couple of weeks. My question is when I fill out the ESTA application, do I put my current Canadian address and info about my Canadian employment even though I’ve stated I’m not a National of any other country?
Hi Alexandra,
Yes, that’s what I did when I visited the USA while living in Canada through the IEC program.
Hi Gemma,
Thank you for the article! I am curently on IEC work permit here in Canada and want to go to New York next month by bus, as it would be cheaper than flying. I would like to ask – does it matter which means of transport I am taking to travel to the US and back to Canada? Or traveling by bus is not allowed for a temporary resident like me?
Thanks!
Sabine
Hi Sabine,
Yes, IEC holders can visit the USA by bus. I think the bus companies do warn though that they won’t wait long periods of time if people are held up at immigrations. Even though you don’t need an ESTA for crossing the US land border, I would suggest perhaps getting one as it helps speed the process up.
Thanks for the great info, really clear. I am aware that when re entering Canada (Im on an IEC) i need to be reassessed. For context, do I need to go and sit in the immigration area and go through the full queue process as i did when first being issued my IEC or is this assessed by a normal border control guard? I cant imagine having to sit in that room again, especially given that i now have a Canadian full time job, address and bank account! Hopefully this is not the case and once i bring copies of my permit/sin/job letter etc i should be ok?
Hi Conor,
No, you shouldn’t have to go back into the immigration office. The only reason to do this would be if the officer requests a secondary inspection (check of your vehicle or further questioning). You need your original work permit to travel back into Canada. It’s also recommended to have the same documentation as you did when you first arrived, just in case – proof of funds, insurance etc. It’s unlikely to be checked but they reserve the right to.
Please note that I just updated this post today – a valid ESTA is now required to cross the land border from Canada to the USA. Just in case you haven’t left yet.
@Gemma, Thank you! I have my ESTA sorted now, so should have no issues on that side. Ill just make sure to bring all supporting docs along with proof of employment, Canadian address, bank account etc and I should hopefully be ok.
Hi Gemma, thank you for all this info in the article and comments. I just have a question. I’m looking to get the WHV next year fingers crossed, but would I be able to drive to the USA once or twice a month at weekends to see my partner? Or will they question why so many trips and not allow it?
Thank you
Hi Bethany,
It all depends on the border officers. If I were you, I would take proof of funds, job and accommodation (when you have them) each visit, to help indicate your ties to Canada.
Hi @Bethany, hope this message finds you well.
I have the same problem so I was wondering if you have any further informations.
Thank you!
Hi Gemma
I am an Australian citizen looking at working in Canada on the IEC program.
Whilst on this program is there a limit to how many trips I can make across the border into the USA, to do short trips through different regions of the country? A limit on total days spent in the USA? or a limit on how long into my stay in Canada I can cross the border? for example after the first 90 days?
Thanks in advance
Hi Matt,
No, there are no official limits – it is up to the discretion of the border officer.
Hi Gemma,
Thank you for the Information! You said the ESTA is valid for 2 years but is this for multiple trips within a 2-year period of one trip taken up to 2 years after getting it? I am currently in Canada doing a working holiday and I am planning to make several short trips to the states.
Hi Shane,
Yes, you can use the ESTA for multiple trips to the USA during that two year timeframe.
Hi Gemma,
I am on WH in Canada and I traveled on ESta before. However I wanted to make longer road trip so I applied for B2 visa which has been refused. Does it mean I cant use my ESTA anymore and I have to reapply for B2 this time in Canada? (Before I applied in my home country – Slovakia stating that I work and live in Canada). Are my chances bigger applying from Canada?
Thank you
Hi Dom,
Sorry to hear that your B2 was refused. I don’t know much about B2 refusals but I believe that it would invalidate your ESTA as your circumstances have changed. I am unsure regarding the reapplication. Sorry I can’t be of more help.
@Gemma, Thank you so much for you response. I will apply again with the lawyer and I can share my experience in case someone is having the same issues.
Hi,
I plan to move to Vancouver but want to fly into Seattle first for a few days of travel and then fly onward to Vancouver. If I have a return flight booked from Ireland to Seattle and a flight booked from Seattle to Vancouver, should I have any issues with immigration at the US?
Also, can you enter Canada and activate your work permit at a later date? i.e. if I wanted to take 2-3 weeks to holiday around Vancouver before starting work
Thanks
Hi Darragh,
Having a return flight back to Ireland sounds like it would satisfy that requirement. It’s very unlikely you would have issues.
Yes, you can enter Canada and then activate your work permit later (see IRCC FAQ here). Keep in mind that you will need travel insurance (to cover medical expenses and repatriation) for the full length of your intended stay from the date of your intended activation. If you are purchasing a policy to start on that exact date, you will need to make sure that it is an ‘already travelling’ policy that allows it to be started in Canada rather than your home country. Most insurance policies have a requirement that you purchase it at home before leaving. If you’re from Ireland, True Traveller sell ‘already travelling’ policies.
Hi Gemma,
I’m on an IEC Visa & looking to travel to the US for a holiday. My company has an office in San Francisco and wanted to understand under my visa am I allowed to work for a few days while over there to extend my stay?
I heard something about needing to attend a meeting to be allowed to do this but wanted to double check if it’s allowed.
Thank you
Hi Fiachra,
The requirements of the US visa waiver program (I’m assuming you are from a visa waiver country) state that the following business activities are allowed:
Source – Travel.State.Gov website
Hi Gemma,
Your blogs are saviours for me – I’ve got my IEC visa and will be moving from the UK to Canada in November, so excited! So I firstly just wanted to say a huge thank you for the blog posts as it’s helping me so much with the move.
I plan on travelling the US and Central/South America, whilst having Canada as my base, since I’ll be over there. Are there any restrictions on travelling abroad whilst on the IEC visa? I’m only planning on short trips to the US and about 2-3 months in Central/South America.
Many Thanks!
Shu
Hi Shu,
So glad our website has been helpful!
Yes, you can travel elsewhere while on the IEC Working Holiday program but keep in mind that your work permit time will continue to tick down while you’re away. Bring your original work permit with you (and make a scan). In theory, you could be asked for all of the same activation documents (insurance, proof of funds etc) on your return to Canada, though most are never asked.
The other thing to check is your insurance. I’d suggest getting insurance with a company that covers your additional travel outside of Canada, such as True Traveller.
Hi Gemma, thank you so much for all the information you provide!
I’m in the following situation, I’m in the U.S. right now on an ESTA, visiting my partner. A couple days after arriving I got my POE (yay!). Now I’m interviewing for a job in Canada that starts in April. Can I go directly from the U.S. to Canada without running into any ‘overstaying my ESTA’ – issues?
Let’s say I’ll go to Canada, start my job and after three months I want to go to the U.S. for a week, with proof of my Canadian work visa and work contract/ pay slips, could I still run into any trouble because I stayed in North America longer than 90 days?
Thank you so much in advance!
Hi Antonia,
Yes, in theory you could have issues as you wouldn’t be leaving North America after those three months. If you were visiting your partner in the US *after* activating your IEC, then it’s not issue, but you went to the USA first.
I’d also like to mention that border regulations are very much in flux right now. I’m not sure where you were planning to activate, but land border activations have become more difficult since flagpoling was banned in December. You’re not flagpoling (which is the process of leaving Canada to get refused entry into the US to then return to Canada to activate a work permit) so when asked, you should make it as clear as possible that you were visiting the USA to see your partner and then received your POE while there. In other words, you did not specifically travel to the USA to enter Canada – border officers are having to be strict with the current rules.
@Gemma, thank you for your advise, I will make that clear when I enter Canada. So as far as solutions go for running no risk at all of running into trouble when visiting the USA again, would flying to Guatemala, from there to Mexico, and then from Mexico to Canada with no stop-over in the USA solve it?
I just wonder, aren’t the USA immigration officers used to this scenario (of people having visited or having had a layover in the USA before activating their IEC) and as long as I can prove that I’m a temporary resident in Canada with a valid work visa it should be ok?
Hi Antonia,
The problem is, technically, you’re not a temporary resident of Canada until you activate the POE. So you’ve been travelling in the USA before becoming a temporary resident and hence the ESTA rules apply.
Right now, you’re unlikely to have any issues since you already made it into the USA – where I’ve seen people have problems before is when they were checking in their USA-bound flight OR on arrival in the US. You’re already there.
As soon as you activate your POE, you shouldn’t have any issues with future visits to the USA (no need to to go Guatemala or anywhere else).