PVT Canada: random draw or guaranteed, discover the two ways to get your ticket in 2026

Registration for the Working Holiday Permit (PVT) 2026 for Canada have opened since mid-January, rekindling the interest of French students and young graduates in this emblematic visa.

As a reminder, it allows French nationals aged 18 to 35 to stay in Canada for up to two years, with the possibility of working freely to finance their stay and acquire initial professional experience.

In 2026, there are two ways to obtain the PVT for Canada: the classic PVT route, free except visa costs, but subject to draws and quotas, and the guaranteed PVT route which includes language training in Canada and support but for which costs in addition to the visa are to be expected.

The classic PVT: a weekly draw

For the 2026 season, 5,661 places are available for French candidates, a figure slightly lower than the previous year but still within the average of past seasons. From the first days, more than 13,470 registrations were recorded, while the first four rounds of invitations made it possible to send 5,569 letters, without guaranteeing the final validation of the visa. In the event of refusal or abandonment, the invitations are reintroduced into the system for other candidates. At the end of February, only 1,051 places remained, with more than 12,000 candidates waiting, illustrating the intense competition: just over ten candidates for each available place, and less than 13% of waiting candidates will obtain their PVT this year.

The system is based on a weekly draw. Each registration in the pool does not guarantee invitation, and unused or refused applications are put back into play throughout the rounds. Successful candidates have ten days to accept the invitation, then twenty days to submit their complete file, with an estimated processing time of eight weeks. Once approved, the candidate receives a letter of introduction valid for 12 months, to be presented upon arrival in Canada. Fees for 2026 are $369.75 Canadian dollars, including IEC fees, biometrics and permits.

To be eligible, the candidate must hold a valid French passport, be between 18 and 35 years old, not have already benefited from a PVT (except for rare exceptions), have 2,500 Canadian dollars on arrival and have health insurance covering the entire stay.

Guaranteed PVT, paid, with training in English

Faced with strict quotas and the uncertainty of the draws, a secure alternative is increasingly attracting candidates: the PVT guaranteed via a Recognized Organization (RO). The ORs are thus organizations officially recognized by the Canadian government: the program International Experience Canada (IEC) and by Languages ​​Canada, the national association of accredited language schools.

The IEC program allows young adults aged 18 to 35 to have a professional and cultural experience in Canada. It offers several types of temporary permits, including the Working Holiday Permit (PVT), “international coop internships” and Young Professional permits, allowing you to work legally while discovering the country.

In this context, Language Canada and its “recognized organizations” (RO) officially support candidates, provide confirmation letters essential for permit applications and offer language training and support programs to facilitate the integration of participants in Canada.

In France, language stay organizations such as Voyage-Langue or Oxford International offer this type of program combining 3 or 4 months of English courses in Canada with a guaranteed PVT. In this case no need to go through the draw, if you meet the criteria for obtaining the PVT you will obtain it almost at the same time as your registration for the program.

Note that, unlike the classic PVT, a budget of nearly 6,000 euros will be necessary before departure to benefit from this program and that a limited number of PVTs are granted each year within this framework.

Classic or guaranteed PVT, Canada remains one of the favorite destinations of the French for an experience abroad that combines adventure, work and skills development. In 2026, the strong competition from “classic” PVT reminds us that you have to start early, take care of your file and accept some uncertainty linked to the draws.

Conversely, the guaranteed PVT is aimed at those who want to secure their departure, speed up the process and arrive better prepared thanks to language training and support, at the cost of a larger budget. In both cases, the main thing is to choose the formula that corresponds to your profile, your schedule and your means, in order to transform your Canada project into a concrete departure and a memorable experience.