As of November 1^st, 2010 Mexico and Canada have in place a program allowing 200 young people per year to work with minimal restrictions in the each other’s countries. Currently, the Embassy of Canada in Mexico has already issued this year’s quota of visas for Mexican youth to work in Canada; however, there is still ample opportunity for Canadian youth and students to obtain visas under the program to work in Mexico.

The three eligibility categories for the program are as follows:

I. Registered students of a post-secondary educational institution in Canada who intend to fulfill part of their curriculum requirements in Mexico by completing a pre-arranged work placement related to their field of study.
(This category would lend itself well to a co-op placement program coordinated with partner institutions in Mexico)

II. Registered students of a post-secondary educational institution in Canada who intend to obtain temporary employment in Mexico during their academic holidays.
(Essentially this is the same as the “Working Holiday” style visa available to Canadians for stays in other countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Japan)

III. Young citizens, including graduates of a post-secondary educational institution in Canada, who intend to obtain employment experience or practical workplace experience related to their professional field in Mexico through a pre-arranged contract of employment to support their career development.
(This category would offer an excellent opportunity for a Canadian university graduate to obtain valuable international experience in his/her field, for example with the Mexican subsidiary of a Canadian company. This experience could then be brought back to Canada and improve career options after the year abroad)

Visa processing for Canadians is handled by Mexican Embassies and Consulates. For Vancouver the contact information is as follows:

CONSULATE GENERAL OF MEXICO IN VANCOUVER
411-1177 West Hastings St
Vancouver, BC V6E 2K3 Canada
Telephone: (604) 684-3547 and (604) 684-1859
Fax: (604) 684-2485
Email: mexico@consulmexvan.com

For more information on the program as it relates to Canadians, please visit this page within the Mexican Embassy in Ottawa website.

While the program for Canadian youth is the responsibility of the Mexican authorities, the Embassy is very interested in hearing how Canadian youth are engaged in Mexico, and would welcome information on how these programs are benefitting your students and programs. 

Find out more about the Canadian program for Mexican youth.