Depending on the snowfall at the beginning of the season, the ski resorts will open between mid-November and mid-December. The hiring season for ski working holiday jobs begins as early as July through to early October, and you will be required to be in Canada before the opening of the ski resort to attend your training.
In addition to working at ski resorts, you can also work in winter mountain resorts or ski towns that host tourists for the ski season. They have hotels, cafes, restaurants, retail and tourist shops where you can work.
During your consultation, we learn about your preferences for where in Canada you would like to work. Even if you don’t have a specific preference, we will break down the pros and cons of each ski resort location in Canada that we work with to give you a better idea! Before we notify you of an upcoming interview with a resort or hotel in Canada, we send you a complete guide containing everything you need to know about the employer. This is to ensure you are fully prepared to succeed in your interview.
As early in the IEC 2022 season as possible. The reason is that because the process to secure a working holiday visa is by invitation (ITA), you not only need to keep in mind the processing times but also the time it might take you to get an invitation.
We recommend that you become part of the IEC pool from your country of nationality as soon as IEC 2022 opens, so that way, once the Government of Canada starts to send invitations, you are part of those rounds! The more rounds you are present in, the higher your chances… no science there!
Please consider what applying for a work permit involves and start your process with time. Do not wait until the last minute to plan your working holiday in Canada!
We host a lot of participants from countries where winter sports are not that popular. In fact, many participants have never tried either sport! Working a winter season in Canada is a great opportunity to learn how to ski or snowboard.
We have worked with participants like Oscar from Spain who is a backcountry skier with plenty of experience skiing and snowboarding in the Pyrenees in Europe. We have also helped participants like Gabriel, a chef from Costa Rica, who had never experienced a winter like a Canadian one before!
The most popular provinces to do a ski season in Canada are British Columbia and Alberta. The most popular ski resorts are Whistler Village and Banff. Other ski resort towns are Revelstoke, Vernon, Kelowna, Nelson, Rossland and Jasper to name a few. All of these destinations host a wide variety of winter activities. Read on to see a breakdown of the two different provinces to see which is right for you (you can also schedule a call with one of our experts for more guidance on finding the perfect fit!).
The province of British Columbia is a great destination for your working holiday experience. Here, you can experience nature’s finest first hand: the ocean, mountains, pristine lakes, waterfalls, hot springs, Olympic ski hills, and big cities too. There is a wide range of resorts that hire during both the summer and winter seasons. Across British Columbia, the most famous resort destinations are Whistler Blackcomb, Sun Peaks, Mount Washington, Kicking Horse, Revelstoke, Big White, Apex, Red Mountain, Whitewater, Silverstar, Fernie, and Kimberley. A working holiday experience in the province of Alberta will place you in the heart of the Canadian Rockies. It is home to some of Canada’s most famous sights, including Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, and Waterton National Parks. The most popular ski resorts are Lake Louise, Sunshine, Norquay, Marmot Basin, Nakiska, and Castle Mountain.
The most famous resort destination in AlbThe most famous resort destination in Alberta for hundreds of working holiday participants is the town of Banff. Banff is a ski and mountain resort town, located close to Lake Louise, Sunshine Village and Kananaskis! Several of BC’s popular ski resorts are not far from Alberta and can also be explored while you are based in Banff.
Our partner employers have many winter jobs in Canada available for working holiday travellers. Here are just a few examples:
  • Guest Services: Front Desk Agent, Night Audit, Bell staff, Spa Attendant, Driver, and Valet.
  • Retail: Ski, Snowboard Rentals, and Cashier.
  • Food & Beverage Department: Fine Dining Server, Server, Server Assistant, Coffee Shop Attendant, Barista, Busser, Banquet Server, andHostess.
  • Gastronomy & Kitchen: Sous Chef, Chef de Partie, Commis Chef, Pastry Chef, Line Cook, Kitchen Helper, and Dishwasher.
  • Room Division: Room Service Attendant, Housekeeping, and Laundry Attendant.
  • General Maintenance: Ground Staff, and Houseman.
Canadian winters, either in Alberta or British Columbia, are cold. That’s why they are so beautiful! Temperatures can fluctuate between -5°C (early in the season) down to -40°C in Alberta. So yes, you need to make sure to travel to Canada with your winter gear. Remember that all the accommodation and hotels are prepared for these temperatures with good heating systems. If your job requires you to work outside, the hotel or resort will provide you with a uniform to be prepared for the cold.
As long as you are able to inform your employer and the staff housing team in advance, you will be able to extend your stay for the summer season. We have had many clients that were sure that they only wanted to stay one season and changed their mind during the season!
For you to be able to extend your stay it is important that you get insurance for the full duration of your work permit and not only for one season. This is because if you decide to get insurance for just six months, you will only get a work permit for six months. So, even if you decide you want to stay longer in Canada and even if your employer wants to keep you in their team, it will not be possible as the IEC permits can’t be extended!  We will give you all the details so that you do not miss a thing!

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