Overseas holidays and stable employment have become a thing of the past for many people since the pandemic began. Borders shut, planes languished on runways and hotels emptied. Major economies shuddered under strict lockdowns.
But some young people holding Canadian working holiday visas were undeterred. They were still allowed to enter or remain if they were already here. The program allows those under 35 to spend a year or two travelling around Canada, while being able to work as much as they need to get by.
Due to the pandemic, the number of valid working holiday work permits as of late 2020 was down by two-thirds compared to the year before. But a portion of these visitors may be thinking of staying permanently a boon to Canada at a time when immigration numbers have plummeted.