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Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the French Republic concerning the Working Holiday Program [2001] CATSer 17 (1 June 2001)

E103843 - CTS 2001 No. 12

AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC CONCERNING THE WORKING HOLIDAY PROGRAM

THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC, hereinafter referred to as the “Parties”,

ANXIOUS to promote close co-operation between their countries,

DESIROUS of increasing the opportunities for their nationals, young people in particular, to experience the culture and lifestyle of the other country, work constituting one such opportunity, thereby promoting mutual understanding between the two countries; and

CONVINCED of the value of introducing, to this end, measures that will supplement already existing youth exchange programs,

HAVE AGREED on the following provisions:

ARTICLE 1

1. Both Parties agree to create a Working Holiday Program designed to enable young nationals of each of the two States to stay in the other country, individually, in order to vacation there, with the possibility of obtaining paid employment there in order to supplement their financial resources.

2. Subject to public policy considerations, each Party shall issue to nationals of the other State a document, valid for one year, granting access to its territory, when these nationals have met the following conditions:

(a) their reasons for wanting to participate in the Program meet the Program’s objectives, as defined in paragraph 1 of this article;

(b) they have not participated in this Program before;

(c) they are between the ages of 18 and 30 as of the date of the making of the application;

(d) they are not accompanied by any dependants;

(e) they hold a valid French or Canadian passport and are in possession of a return ticket or sufficient resources to purchase this transportation document;

(f) they have the financial resources necessary to provide for their needs at the beginning of their stay;

(g) they have valid civil liability insurance coverage during the period of their stay;

(h) they are prepared to pay the required fees;

(i) they are resident in Canada or France when they make application.

3. The documents granting access to the territory of each Party referred to in the preceding paragraph shall consist of, in the case of Canada, a letter of introduction issued by the competent Canadian Immigration Office and, in the case of France, a multiple entry visa bearing the words Working Holiday.

ARTICLE 2

Nationals of each of the two States shall apply for the access document defined in the preceding article at the diplomatic or consular representation of the other State located on the territory of which they are nationals.

ARTICLE 3

1. The letters of introduction issued by the Government of Canada are valid for the territory of Canada; the visas bearing the words Working Holiday issued by the Government of the French Republic are valid for the European Departments of the French Republic.

2. Each Party shall authorize nationals of the other State, in possession of a valid document issued under the Working Holiday Program, to stay in the territories referred to in paragraph 1 above for a maximum of one year commencing the date of entry and to occupy employment in order to supplement their financial resources.

3. Nationals of each of the two States who stay on the territory of the other State under the Working Holiday Program cannot extend their stay beyond its authorized duration, or change their status during this stay.

ARTICLE 4

1. As soon as Canadian nationals holding a Working Holiday visa issued by French authorities find employment in France, French authorities shall grant them, immediately and without reference to the labour market situation, temporary authorization to work for the specified period of employment. This authorization is renewable upon the same terms and conditions, within the authorized period of the stay.

2. Nationals of the French Republic who are issued a letter of introduction by the competent Canadian Immigration Office shall receive, upon their arrival on Canadian territory, a work permit that is valid for the duration of the authorized stay.

ARTICLE 5

Nationals of each of the two States who stay in the other State under the Working Holiday Program are required to obey the laws in force in the host State, particularly as regards the practice of the regulated professions.

ARTICLE 6

The Parties shall encourage the organizations concerned in their respective countries to give the appropriate advice to nationals of the other State admitted to participate in the Working Holiday Program.

ARTICLE 7

1. All participants in this Program shall provide proof of insurance covering all risks related to illness-pregnancy-disability and hospitalization in the host State for the duration of the stay.

2. In the case of employment benefits and social assistance, the applicable system is the system of the host State.

ARTICLE 8

1. For purposes of this Program, the number of participants, based on reciprocity, shall be established through an exchange of diplomatic notes.

2. The minimum amount of resources required under paragraph 2.f of article 1 shall be determined by mutual agreement of the Parties.

3. The allocation of participants in this program shall take place from the date the program enters into force until the end of the year in progress then annually, from January 1 to December 31.

ARTICLE 9

1. Each of the Parties shall notify the other, through diplomatic channels, of the completion of the internal procedures required in order for this Agreement to come into force.

2. This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the second month following the date of receipt of the last of the notifications referred to in the preceding paragraph.

3. Each Party may suspend temporarily the application of this Agreement. Notice of a suspension shall be given immediately to the other Party through diplomatic channels.

4. Each Party may terminate this Agreement by giving the other Party three months’ notice through diplomatic channels. Termination or temporary suspension of this Agreement does not affect the right to stay of persons already admitted to the Working Holiday Program.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the representatives of the two Parties, duly authorized for this purpose, have signed this Agreement.

DONE at PARIS, in two original copies, this 6th day of February 2001, in the English and French languages, all texts being equally authentic.

Raymond Chrétien

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA

Loïc Hennekinne

FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC