Lithuanian – Canadian Youth Exchange Programme

LITHUANIAN – CANADIAN YOUTH EXCHANGE PROGRAMME

On 19 November 2009, the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Lithuania and the Government of Canada concerning Youth Exchange was signed in Vilnius. The Agreement came into force on 1 October 2010.

The purpose of the Agreement is to create the opportunities for youth to deepen their professional and language skills, study and work during holidays in another contracting state, and get to know its people and culture.

The text of the Agreement was published in the Official Gazette Valstybės Žinios (Žin., 2010, No. 92-4864). The text of the Agreement is also available in the data base of legislation of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania (text of the Agreement in Lithuanian, English, French).

Who can take part in the Youth Exchange Programme?

The Youth Exchange Programme is open to:

(1) citizens of the Republic of Lithuania and Canada, including graduates from a university, higher education institution or research institution, who wish to obtain further training in the host country under a pre-arranged contract of employment in support of their career development;

(2) citizens of the Republic of Lithuania and Canada who are registered students of a university, higher education institution or research institution in their home country who wish to complete part of their academic curriculum in the host country by undertaking a pre-arranged internship or work placement, including in the context of an arrangement between educational institutions;

(3) citizens of the Republic of Lithuania and Canada, including registered students, who intend to travel in the host country and who wish to work on an occasional basis in order to supplement their financial resources.

What are the conditions of participation in the Youth Exchange Programme?

Only citizens of the Republic of Lithuanian and Canada can take part in the Youth Exchange Programme. Canadian citizens who wish to come to Lithuania under the Youth Exchange Programme have to fulfil the following conditions:

(1) be between the age of 18 and 35 inclusively on the date the application is received by the mission or consular office;

(2) hold a valid Lithuanian or Canadian passport and be in possession of a return ticket or sufficient financial resources to purchase such transportation;

(3) travel alone (the person cannot take part in the Youth Exchange Programme together with his/her dependants, e.g. children);

(4) have proof of the financial resources necessary to provide for their needs at the beginning of their stay. Canadian citizens wishing to come to Lithuania under the Youth Exchange Programme as graduates, who wish to obtain further training or undertake internship, should have at least EUR 695; those coming to travel in Lithuania without pre-arranged contract of employment and wishing to work on an occasional basis should have at least EUR 1390 for the beginning of their stay;

(5) pay all applicable fees for the issuance of a visa and a work permit;

(6) have insurance for health care, including hospitalization and repatriation, for the whole duration of their stay in Lithuania;

(7) provide additional documents, e.g., documentation proving registration at a higher education institution or research institution, a pre-arranged contract of employment or other documents proving that they are coming to undertake internship or work placement, that they arrive for travelling in Lithuania and intend to work only occasionally.

The same conditions also apply to citizens of the Republic of Lithuania who intend to go to Canada under the Youth Exchange Programme.

More information about the requirements of Canada for participants in the Youth Exchange Programme is available on the website of the Government of Canada “International Experience Canada”.

How many times is it possible to take part in the Youth Exchange Programme?

It is possible to take part in the Youth Exchange Programme not more than twice.

Each time a programme participant must fulfil requirements according to different categories, i.e. if at first the person takes part in internship or work placement under the Youth Exchange Programme, the next time he/she will not be able to participate in the Youth Exchange Programme under the same category, but will be able to take part as a graduate who wishes to obtain further training in the host country under a pre-arranged contract of employment or as a tourist who intends to travel in the receiving state and work on an occasional basis in order to maintain financial stability.

Is it necessary to obtain a visa?

Canadian citizens who wish to take part in the Youth Exchange Programme should apply for a multiple-entry national (D) visa. Such visa authorises the entry into the Republic of Lithuania and stay there longer than 3 months, but not longer than 1 year.

The foreigner holding a valid national visa (D) may travel across the territory of other Schengen States for a period not exceeding three months during any period of six months.

Where to apply for a visa?

Canadian citizens should apply for multiple-entry (D) visas to visa services of the Republic of Lithuania abroad (diplomatic mission or consular office of the Republic of Lithuania).

List of visa offices of the Republic of Lithuania abroad: http://keliauk.urm.lt/en/

What documents shall be provided in order to obtain a national D visa under the Youth Exchange Programme?

Canadian citizens should present at the diplomatic mission or consular office of the Republic of Lithuania:

(1) a completed application of the approved form to issue a visa;

(2) a valid travel document;

(3) one 35x45 mm coloured photograph;

(4) a request to issue a multiple-entry national (D) visa provided by an inviting Lithuanian company, institution or organization (this request should be addressed to the diplomatic mission or consular office of the Republic of Lithuania where the foreigner applies for a visa. The request should include:

• requisite information of the company, institution or organization (name, legal form, registered office, identifier, VAT payer’s identifier (if the legal entity is a VAT payer), address, telephone and fax numbers), name and surname, position, telephone number and signature of a legal representative of the legal entity;
• foreigner’s name and surname, date and place of birth, gender, citizenship, series and number of the travel document, address of the place of residence, purpose of arrival, dates of arrival and departure, address of the foreigner’s accommodation during his/her stay in Lithuania, name and surname of the owner of the accommodation or name, address and telephone number of the hotel where the foreigner will be accommodated;
• commitment to take care of proper accommodation of the foreigner and payment of the costs of his/her return to the authorised state, if necessary);

(5) document proving eligibility under the conditions defined in the Agreement for participation in the Youth Exchange Programme;

(6) proof of health care insurance (minimum amount of health care insurance – EUR 5792,4

Is it necessary to pay for a visa?

A consular fee of EUR 60 is charged for the procession of visa applications, except from the persons specified in Article 1(2) of the Agreement, who are exempt from this fee: registered students of a university, higher education institution or research institution in their home country who wish to complete part of their academic curriculum in the host country by undertaking a pre-arranged internship or work placement, including in the context of an arrangement between educational institutions (following paragraphs 6 and 7 of Article 6 of the Law on Consular Fees of the Republic of Lithuania , consular fees will not be charged for the procession of applications for visas to school pupils, students and accompanying teachers or lecturers who undertake trips for the purpose of study or educational training and to researchers travelling within the European Union and the Member States of the European Free Trade Association for the purpose of carrying out scientific research, on production of the documents attesting to this effect).

Is it necessary to obtain a work permit in the Republic of Lithuania?

Yes.

Where to apply for a work permit?

In order to obtain a work permit, a local labour exchange should be contacted. Contact details of local labour exchanges are available on the website of the Lithuanian Labour Exchange http://www.ldb.lt(contact details of local labour exchanges in Lithuanian, English)

A participant of the Youth Exchange Programme or his/her employer may apply for a work permit under the Youth Exchange Programme.

What documents should be provided in order to obtain a work permit under the Youth Exchange Programme?

The following documents should be provided to the local labour exchange:

(1) application of the approved form;

(2) copy of the foreigner’s passport or an equivalent document for travelling abroad and recognised in the Republic of Lithuania;

(3) copy of a multiple-entry visa (if a multiple-entry visa has not been issued yet – a decision of the competent authority about the issuance of a multiple-entry visa to the foreigner);

(4) copy of a contract of employment, if a pre-arranged contract of employment exists or the foreigner goes to undertake internship or work placement.

Upon receipt of the above-mentioned documents, the local labour exchange issues a conclusion on the issuance of a permit to the foreigner to the Lithuanian Labour Exchange within 7 calendar days.

The Lithuanian Labour Exchange takes a decision regarding the issuance of a work permit to the foreigner and, if the foreigner is eligible under the Agreement, the work permit is issued within 7 working days after the day of receipt of the documents at the Lithuanian Labour Exchange.

The Lithuanian Labour Exchange informs the employer about the work permit issued or refused by e-mail.

The employer or the foreigner himself/herself may also find out about the decision by contacting the Labour Market Services Subdivision, Labour Resources Division of the Lithuanian Labour Exchange by phone +370 5 236 07 75.

Is it necessary to pay for a work permit?

A stamp duty of EUR 34 per year should be paid for the issuance of a work permit.

Recognition of qualifications

The conformity of qualifications obtained abroad to the qualifications obtained after completion of the programmes of studies of higher and secondary education in the Republic of Lithuania is assessed by the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education.

In order to have his/her qualifications recognised, the person should apply to the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education, address: A. Goštauto g. 12, LT-01108 Vilnius, Lithuania, tel.: +370 5 2107782, fax: +370 5 2132553, e-mail: [email protected]

More information is available on the website of the Centre for Quality Assessment in Higher Education http://www.skvc.lt

Lithuanian higher education schools

The list of Lithuanian higher education schools and more information about Lithuanian higher education system is available on the website of the Ministry of Education and Science:

http://www.smm.lt/web/lt/smm-studijos

Job-seeking in Lithuania

If a person intends to seek a job in Lithuania, he/she should contact a local labour exchange or EURES office regarding job search. Information about the jobs available in the entire Lithuania can also be found on the website of the Lithuanian Labour Exchange www.ldb.lt. This website has all information related to job searching: current job offers in the data base, specialties on highest demand, etc.

It is also possible to search for available jobs on the websites of private employment agencies, where job advertisements can be searched by profession, location, necessary education, etc. Website addresses of the major private employment agencies operating in Lithuania: http://www.darbaslietuvoje.lt/; www.cv.lt; www.cvonline.lt; www.cvmarket.lt; www.cvbankas.ltwww.cvinfo.lt.

Useful links

Application procedure for persons wishing to go to Canada under the Youth Exchange Programme:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/iec/index.asp

Office of the Embassy of Canada to Lithuania in Vilnius:

Verslo centras 2000
Jogailos g. 4
LT-01116, Vilnius
Lithuanian
Tel. No.: (+370) 5 2490950
Fax No.: (+370) 5 2497865
E-mail: [email protected]