We Are Now Open for the 2019/20 Winter Season

Living & Working In Canada’s Top Ski Resorts & Hotels

With the globes largest selection of Canadian ski resort partners you are sure to land yourself at an authentic Canadian winter wonderland!

With tens of thousands of young people flocking to Canada from all over the world to partake in a ski season it is advisable to secure employment before you leave – not only to save yourself from disappointment but also a small fortune.

We have employment opportunities in a variety of departments including retail, rentals, ski school, central reservations, lift / base operations and food and beverages. Almost all positions provide full training and offer great benefits including staff housing, free season lift passes, competitive wages, staff discounts, and invitations to countless social events and parties.

What makes our Powder Package even more attractive is that your employment contract will be secured before you commit to purchasing any flights or travel insurance. That’s right! We fly the HR managers from Canada out to interview you in your home country; June (Australia) July (New Zealand), UK & Europe (August)! Taking the stress and anxiety away from your working holiday experience!
This year it’s your turn to take the plunge! Don’t let another year pass being the one that’s viewing everyone else’s travel updates, photos & posts! Canada 2016 … Let’s do it!

If you join the Canada Powder Winter working holiday program you will have access to the largest selection of premium resorts, some of which were voted the best working holiday locations:

• Whistler Blackcomb
• Big White
• Silver Star

It is possible, of course, to go to the resort and find yourself a job. To do this, you may need to rely on having money to back you up, and a lot of luck. If you do such a thing, you may be able to find jobs last-minute and negotiate the terms of your contract. However, an easier, more certain way to work a ski season is to find a job in advance. With our Powder Pack Working Holiday Employment feature we can offer the positions listed below, guaranteed, months before you leave:
Reservation Agent

• Night Auditor
• Maintenance
• Busser
• Food Station Server
• Hut Bistro Worker
• Food And Beverage Cashier
• Cappucino Bar Worker
• Rental Technician
• Retail Sales Clerk
• Lift Host
• Tube Park / Attendant
• Parking Host
• Outdoor Ranger
• Sss Sales Host
• Tickets / Validation Host
• Reservation Host
• Ride Tribe Schools Host
• Revenue Representative
• Check In Duty Manager
• Front Desk Agent
• Front Desk – Check In
• Hotel Duty Manager
• Hotel Housekeeper
• Hotel Housekeeping Supervisor
• Condo Housekeeper
• Condo Housekeeping Supervisor
• Laundry
• Bellman
• Bellman / Houseman
• Barista
• Call Centre Operators
• Cook
• Outside Operations
• Ice Rink Attendants
• Rental Tech
• Sleigh Drivers
• Dishwasher
• Ski Instructors
• Snowboard Instructors
• Guest Services
• Mountain Operations Attendant
• Resort Crew
• Administration Clerk – Accounting
• Administration – Payroll & Accounting
• Base Area Attendant
• Bus Host
• Custodian – Staff Accommodation
• Custodian – Base Area
• Employee Services Coordinator
• Gondola Operator
• Guest Services Agent
• Hotel Concierge
• Hotel Houseperson
• Hotel Maintenance Worker
• Hotel Night Auditor
• Hotel Room Attendant
• Rental Attendant
• Custodian Powder Crew
• Junior Sous Chef
• Lead Cook

The atmosphere in staff housing is very fun, but it’s not for everyone. We have carefully selected resort partners so you have either on-site (staff) and off-site (private) housing options to suit you.

• Staff housing is normally dorms, shared rooms, and if your lucky, single rooms (these are few and far between)
• Private residential is usually shared condos, small flats or large houses where people can rent rooms with others

Finding accommodation by arriving without a job can be a competitive sport in itself.

• Private room & house rentals fluctuate between seasons. Due to the seasonal nature of life in these resorts, rental rates vary according to weather and seasons. Winter rates in Whistler & Banff, for example, are up to a third higher than summer rates.
• If you are thinking of doing it yourself, get to the resort in the ‘shoulder season’ to give yourself a better chance of having a larger pool of places to pick from. ‘Shoulder season’ is between winter and summer (mid-April – end of May) and summer into winter (late September into mid-October). Make sure you have sufficient cash to get you through this period as you will not be working as many hours. Some resorts close their doors during the entire summer… know if this will affect you as you’ll need to find alternate accommodation and track down another job!

The good news is if you join our Powder Pack, staff accommodation, for most resorts comes with a job offer. If you opted for a resort without staff housing, you would receive a housing newsletter after job offers are sent out. These housing newsletters include details to ensure our applicants have the greatest chance of securing the best accommodation earlier in the season.

How Do The Working Holiday Club™ Guarantee A Position Pre-Departure?

Easy, we fly the HR managers to your home country to interview you face-to-face, so you will 100% have a full-time job contract in your hand, before you even book your flights to Canada!

Unlike some agencies we do not take applications and THEN search for suitable working holiday placements. We already have over 2000+ pre-season vacancies, given to us directly by resort HR through our premium resort portfolio, a year in advance. There are no sneaky surprises like being stranded in Canada without a job. It simply doesn’t happen with The Working Holiday Club ™… Ever!

International Experience Canada (IEC) provides young individuals the opportunity to travel and work in Canada. IEC is available in countries that have a bilateral youth mobility arrangement with Canada. You may participate in the working holiday category ONLY ONCE.

To be eligible for the Working Holiday category, you must:

Be from a participating country and have a passport valid for the duration of your stay in Canada – your work permit in Canada must not be longer than the validity of your passport.
Be between the ages of 18 and 35 (inclusive) at the time of application:

• UK 18-30 (24 Month work permit)
• Australia 18-30 (24 Month work permit)
• Belgium 18-30
• Czech Republic 18-35
• Denmark 18-35
• France 18-35
• Germany 18-35
• Greece 18-35
• Ireland 18-35
• Italy 18-35
• Netherlands 18-30
• New Zealand 18-35 (23 Month work permit)
• Norway 18-35
• Poland 18-35
• Spain 18-35
• Sweden 18-30

Have the equivalent of $2,500 (Canadian) to help cover your expenses on application and arrival in Canada.

Be able to take out health insurance for the duration of your stay – you may have to present evidence of this insurance when you enter Canada.

Have, prior to departure, a round-trip ticket or the financial resources to purchase a departure ticket for the end of your authorized stay in Canada.

Not be accompanied by dependents, and pay the fees of CAN$250.

Processing times for International Experience Canada – 8 – 12 weeks.

Note: From December July 31st 2018 it is required for some European countries to submit your Biometrics information at a Biometrics office in your country and pay the fee of $85 CAD.

• UK: London (Late July))
• Netherlands: Utrecht (Late July)
• Denmark: Copenhagen (Late July)
• Sweden: Stockholm (Late July)
• Finland: Helsinki (Late July)
• Australia: Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Gold Coast (mid to late June)
• New Zealand: Auckland & Queenstown (early July)

Application Process:

After completing an enquiry on our website you will immediately be sent a host of helpful and detailed information about the program, as well as a few links to some epic videos to give you an insight into the adventure you have gotten yourself into.

You will then be contacted within 24 hours by one of our specialists to walk you through the program and visa criteria. You will then be required to pay a deposit (so we know that you are committed before we start working on our end) and we will then send out your application forms so you can get started.

After completing the application forms, which will ask you about your previous work experience, skills, job and resort preferences, our recruitment manager be in touch to organise a pre-screening interview with you.

In your pre-screen interview we will assess your job and resort preferences and match you with a position which not only you are going to be stoked working in, but also one which we are confident is a good match for your personality and work experience/skills.

By the end of your pre-screen you will know exactly which positon you will be interviewing for and with which resort or hotel.

Within three weeks of your interview with the HR manager you will have your employment offer, which will state your exact job title, pay rate as well as start date.

It’s now time to book flights, and our partners can help you with this if you need help. If not, happy days.

Once you have booked your flights and know your arrival date into Vancouver let us know and we will book your first nights’ free accommodation on arrival into Vancouver at the Samesun Backpackers, right in the centre of Downtown Vancouver.

You can. However, it’s extremely risky and no doubt costly. The resorts & hotels have staffing needs of hundreds of employees and can’t leave it until the last minute to do their hiring, in case they fall short. Subsequently, they use The Working Holiday Club™ to handle their candidate flow for international hires (the global hiring number for Canadian employees is carefully monitored and tracked by the Canadian Government – there’s not a bottomless pit for internationals to work in Canada).

You might be able to score yourself a job at one of the local grocery stores, bakeries or restaurants, but without guaranteed hours, living well might be tricky. At $10.00 per hour, if you are only getting 15 hours per week, you won’t even be able to cover your rent (if you are not living in staff housing).

Here are some factors to take into consideration if you have decided to do it yourself:

• You will need to secure your work visa fast as the quotas are reached earlier and earlier each year.
• If you decide to work at a ski resort, you will need to have accommodation before the resort offers you a position.
• If you manage to secure employment with a local grocery or retail outlet on the mountain, your accommodation will be very expensive if any is even available for you to rent on minimum wage.
• You will need to fork out as much as $1800 for a season ski lift pass – local shops very rarely offer you an annual ski lift pass for free.
• You will need to budget for a minimum of three weeks in a hostel while you job hunt.
• For your interviews, you will need to travel to the resorts and pay for accommodation and flights. Very costly!

Have the equivalent of $2,500 (Canadian) to help cover your expenses on application and arrival in Canada.

Be able to take out health insurance for the duration of your stay – you may have to present evidence of this insurance when you enter Canada.

In a nutshell, those that DIY face accommodation issues, ski lift pass cost, a lack of consistent and reliable work and costly interview travel costs!

The Working Holiday Club™ offers you the security to have everything pre-arranged so that you have peace of mind when arriving in Canada. You’ll also have:

• instant income
• free season lift pass
• a roof over your head
• a legal visa
• safe arrival into your new home

All you need to think about is what drink you’re going to order at the Meet and Greet Party on arrival!

Simple. We have the best jobs, at the best resorts in Canada, and we follow through on our promises. There are some seriously dodgy companies out there, which might look the part but don’t have partnerships with Canadian employers. If you are in doubt about any company, please visit the ski resort websites and check out their employment pages to see who their Australian/NZ/EU/UK partners are… which you’ll quickly find leaves only one option… US.

All members of the Canadian team have travelled extensively to our winter locations and can tell you the ins and outs of every resort/hotel partner. From where the best clubs and bars are to where you get a hot tub session in, or just find the cheapest gym – we know our stuff! The team speaks from experience & tells it like it is!

When consulting applicants, we honestly advise if this program is a good fit for them, as we don’t want to waste your time, your money or the employers’ time. Our company is also the preferred international recruitment company for all of the top level ski resorts in Western Canada, including Whistler Blackcomb, recently rated yet again as Canada’s #1 Overall Resort in Canada by Ski Magazine.

• Applicants will be sent The Working Holiday Club™ Terms & Conditions which need to be read, understood and signed prior to the commencement of the program. Any questions… let us know… we are very clear about what we offer and what we don’t… so should you need clarification, ASK!
• Once these T&C’s are signed (online) and the program has commenced, should applicants drop out or no longer want to continue, all money paid, be it partial or full payment, is not refundable.
• Once applicants have secured employment and commenced work at the resort/hotel, The Working Holiday Club™ will not interfere with the employment relationship. We are a facilitator of the employment relationship.

We are, however, always there for you should you have any questions down the track, are interested in a second employment opportunity after the season, or simply want some advice.

CAN I GO WITH A FRIEND OR PARTNER?

Yes, you can. We understand moving to the other side of the world can be a little daunting, and we strive to ensure we give you and your friends/partners the best possible opportunity of working together. That is why, in your application, you can note who you will be travelling with. Ultimately the decision is the interviewers’, and we cannot guarantee you will both receive a job offer. As we mentioned earlier, be flexible with your job options, and we are confident we will be able to place you and your friends together.

Be aware the larger the group of travellers, the greater the chance of someone not being offered a role. This was also applied to couples – one is stronger than the other. There is always ‘one person’ in the group that isn’t as sharp or as focused. The resort or hotel interviewers have no qualms deciding who they offer roles to, and who they don’t. This is a brutal reality… the info here is to help prepare you.

DO I NEED TO HAVE EXPERIENCE AT SKIING / BOARDING TO WORK IN A SKI RESORT?

In most positions you will not need to have skied in your life before. Some of our applicants have never even seen the snow before! However, lift operations & some instructor positions will need you to have experience on the slopes to be considered for a position.

Kicking Horse Ski Resort requires lift operators to be at least intermediate or advanced skiers or riders. The terrain at this resort is quite advanced, and there is minimal beginner terrain here.

WHAT IS THE AVERAGE AGE OF SKI RESORT WORKERS??

Our Canadian resort partners love the international flair our participants bring to their ski resorts and the experiences they provide for their guests. As long as you are over 19, hardworking, outgoing, friendly and eager to be in Canada (and are available for the entire season) you should not have any problems. University students and those in the middle of their studies should consider the USA ski resorts as four-month visas are welcomed. While some jobs require particular skills and experience, many provide full training on-site. Cash handling experience, if applying for ticket sales positions, or bar/wait experience in hospitality positions, would obviously be an asset, and you can never go wrong with customer service skills in almost any position.

CAN I SPECIFY A PARTICULAR POSITION THAT I WANT TO APPLY FOR?

• You sure can! Once your application fee has been finalised and you have completed your online application, you will be asked to answer our skills-based assessment test, where you can put forward your application for a particular position. However, as certain positions are very popular, you may wish to consider listing some different preferences. Remember, flexibility is an attractive trait for all employers!
• The job you applied for might have many other applying for it as well, so consider the role and your suitability carefully. For example, many people apply for lift operator roles… those people who have worked outside previously or in labouring roles will have a distinct advantage over those who have never had a physical job. Reading and understanding job descriptions and how they will apply to you is incredibly important when considering jobs for six months or more
• Consider if you are fit for the role – if you have previous experience. Some roles start early and finish early. Again, read and research the roles you are interested in.
• Ask your Working Holiday Club™ recruitment manager if you have any questions or require clarification.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM NOT OFFERED A JOB?

• Should you not be offered a position by one of our resorts, TWHC will, where possible, provide alternate employment opportunities and set up secondary interviews for you. We will continue to do this until all options are exhausted. Once all attempts at locating a job are exhausted we will refund the program fee (less your deposit).
• Should you decide to ‘drop out’ due to the fact, you weren’t offered a role at your first preference location, or your travelling partners were offered positions, and you weren’t, you will forfeit your program fee. We are committed to finding you work in Canada… For us, the process is not completed until all avenues are thoroughly exhausted.

IS A TWHC REPRESENTATIVE IN CANADA WHEN I ARRIVE?

Yes… we have a desk within the Samesun Hostel so we will meet you on arrival. We also host orientations to help you set up your Social Insurance Number (SIN), bank account and sim card, and much more, which will assist the transition into your new home country a breeze. The Working Holiday Club™ representative will also host the meet and greet drinks with the other staff heading to the same location as yourself, so you get to make some new mates before heading up to your resort/hotel.

HOW DO I MEET OTHER APPLICANTS BEFORE ARRIVAL?

• We have specific and exclusive closed Facebook groups set up for each resort/hotel. It doesn’t sound like much, but when you pool all these various applicants into one social environment, you’re pooling lots of other peoples’ experiences and stories.
• Many applicants organise to meet up in their cities with others before interviews, and then once job contracts are finalized, organize to travel with other crew mates on the same flights. Leaving home & family and arriving into a foreign country is less intimidating with a posse of mates beside you!
• Not to mention, it also helps to know some names (even if only socialise online) on arrival to Canada.

CAN I JUST DO IT MYSELF?

You can. However, it’s extremely risky and no doubt costly. The Resorts & Hotels have staffing needs of hundreds of employees and can’t leave it until the last minute to do their hiring in case they fall short. Subsequently, they use The Working Holiday Club™ to handle their candidate flow for international hires (overall hiring numbers for Canadian employees are carefully monitored and tracked by the Canadian Gov – there’s not a bottomless pit for internationals to work in Canada).

• You might be able to score yourself a job at one of the local grocery stores, bakeries or restaurants, but without guaranteed hours, at $10.00 per hour, if you are only getting 15 hours per week that’s not even going to pay for your rent if you are not living in staff housing.

Here are some factors to take into consideration if you have decided to do it yourself.

• You will need to secure your work visa fast as their quotas are reached earlier each year.
• If you decide to work at a ski resort, you will need to have accommodation before the resort offers you position.
• If you manage to secure employment with a local grocery or retail outlet on the mountain, your accommodation will be very expensive if any is even available for you to rent on min wage.
• You will need to fork out as much as $1800 for a season ski lift pass – local shops very rarely can offer you an annual pass for free.
• You will need to budget for a minimum of three weeks in a hostel while you jobs hunt
• For your interviews, you will need to travel to the resorts and pay for accommodation and flights. Very costly.

In a nutshell, those that DIY faces accommodation issues, ski lift pass cost, a lack of consistent and reliable work, and expensive interview travel expenses!

The Working Holiday Club™ offers you the security to have everything pre-arranged so that you have peace of mind when arriving in Canada. You’re also guaranteed:

• instant income
• free season lift pass
• a roof over your head
• legal visa
• safe arrival into your new home

All you need to think about is what drink you’re going to order at the Meet and Greet Party on arrival!.

IS MY CURRENT RSA QUALIFICATION RECOGNISED IN CANADA?

No. Should applicants be working in any food and beverage role, an online certification will need to be obtained before arrival to commence employment. Each province in Canada has their version of RSA (Responsible Service of Alcohol). This information will be clarified during this program, along with any other certifications.

WHAT IS THE LEGAL DRINKING AGE IN CANADA?

It’s different across the country. British Columbia is 19, Alberta is 18. Should you travel to the United States while working in Canada, you will need to obtain an ESTA visa to enter, and be aware that their drinking age is 21. There can be severe consequences should you be caught underage drinking!

CAN I APPLY FOR CANADA PROGRAMS IF I AM A UNI STUDENT?

• Yes… but be aware that Canadian employers consider university students pathological liars because they rarely commit to the entire season/job contract. Because of the poor reputation of uni students, applicants are required to obtain ‘letters of deferment’ to prove their commitment to this program and employment.
• If you are a uni student, remember that this experience is for potential employment for up to two years… don’t waste this opportunity by only coming for six months, as the visa criteria have changed and recurring visas are now no longer available!

Need clarification? Give us a call… we’ll help walk you through it!

WHY CAN I GET A WORKING VISA FOR CANADA WHEN I’M 18 BUT I AM NOT ABLE TO JOIN YOUR PROGRAM?

• Why do I have to be 19? The majority of 18-year-old applicants are fresh out of school and don’t have enough personal savings and maturity to leave home and hold down a job overseas. Canadian employers are concerned that 18-year-olds won’t take this opportunity seriously and might fail at their commitments, compared to their older counterparts.
• The majority of references supplied by 18-year-olds are from high schools, which, compared to earlier applicant references from employers, sets them at a serious disadvantage right off the bat!
• We have found the success rate of applicants 19 and older is exponentially higher & TWHC is about setting our candidates up for success.
• Again, we’re talking about the majority of 18-year-olds, not all… but ultimately we had to draw a line in the sand… so you must be 19 by the time of the interviews in your home country!
• If you are 18 and want to do this program, get a job, work hard and save your money, and call us after your 19th birthday, or before if you have your birthday before interviews, and we’ll get you sorted!

REFERENCE LETTERS – WHAT INFORMATION DO YOU REQUIRE?

We would like you to provide us with a maximum of one page, the minimum of two paragraph, the document on a company letterhead, or at very least with the employer’s business card. This will outline your length of employment, skills, duties, responsibilities, work attitude and their personal reflections on your work ethic and presence within their team.

**Please Note: Not all partners provide free season lift passes, particularly some hotels. Please check with The Working Holiday Club™ specialist team if your preferred employer comes with a free season lift pass. <?p>

We Guarantee:

• you a job offer before you leave or your money back
• you a 100% refund if you’re not accepted for a position

Our Glass House Policy:

• we will provide you with all the information about our program before a fee is payable.
• we will publish in our employer profile page the rate of pay & cost of accommodation, so that you know what you are getting.
• we will provide all the details we discussed with you by phone in writing after you consultation call

Industry references, so you know you’re in safe hands

Whistler Blackcomb Reference:

We have partnered with TWHC™ for 10 years now. We have worked with a few agencies over the years and now use TWHC™ exclusively. With honest two-way communication, the team really understands our business & consistently delivers top candidates for us to meet. Extremely organised & efficient, our time is always well spent & this has proven to be the most effective way to recruit great people. The team are true professionals & I would recommend them to anyone.

Silver Star Reference:

Silver Star have been working with The Working Holiday Club™ for many years now to assist us with our hiring. It is a challenge for any company to recruit large numbers of employees season after season, however, with the assistance of The Working Holiday Club™ we are able to fill these positions with a professional, reliable, engaged employee team. We feel that The Working Holiday Club™ are industry leaders in recruiting employees within the ski industry. The team at The Working Holiday Club™ understands the needs of each resort that they partner with, offering an honest service to both employer and employee. I would have no hesitation in recommending The Working Holiday Club™ as a friendly, welcoming and trustworthy company to work with.

Flight Centre Group Plc Reference:

This email is to acknowledge that Flight Centre Travel Group and The Working Holiday Club™ have been working together for over five years.

During this time we’ve found TWHC™ to be a solid, ethical, and completely above-board organisation, and furthermore, we have a strong business relationship with them. We strongly value the partnership between our two organisations, and rely heavily on TWHC™ to provide our customers with an honest, and seamless customer experience. Our relationship extends across all retail brands within the Flight Centre Travel Group, including but not limited to Flight Centre, Gapyear.com, Student Flights, Escape Travel, and My Adventure Store.

• No previous experience is necessary. Obviously previous experience is an asset, specifically in a the hotel environment, if applying for these positions.
• Applicants are advised that hotels are very picky regarding applicants entering the world of a four-to-five-star location.
• Applicants need to be verbally polished, well spoken, articulate & well presented. It is highly advisable for applicants to visit five-star hotels in advance of their interviews to do some on-the-ground research, ensuring they have a realistic gauge of what they are getting in to.
• Those applicants looking to kick off a career in hotels usually look at this program as a huge opportunity to obtain experience in hotels while completing a working holiday.

CANADA

UNITED KINGDOM & EUROPE: +44 (0) 3338 001 833

AUSTRALIA :1300 295 579

NEW ZEALAND :09 973 5913

Operations Manager UK & Europe

Jenna McGinty

TWHC HQ, 30 Stamford Street, London SE1 9LQ

t: +442037587339

m: +447490392874

e: canada@theworkingholidayclub.com

Based in London

Best person to contact if you are in the UK/EU and need more information

Travel Specialist & Insurance (Australia)

Emma Coulston

m: +61 421 679 978

e: emma@theworkingholidayclub.com

Best person to contact if you need help getting started or need more information about travel insurance and are based in Australia or new Zealand

• Applications for both winter & summer seasons open in October
• Applications for summer close in mid-March
• Interviews for summer – late March / early April
• Most summer positions commence early June
• Applications for winter close early June (or when all job roles have been allocated)
• ?Interviews in Australia – mid-June? (predominantly face-to-face interviews)
• Interviews in New Zealand – early July in set locations both in north and south islands?
• Interviews in London – late July / early August
• Interviews in Europe (Sweden, Netherlands, Denmark) – late July / early August
• Majority of winter jobs to commence early to mid-November

• Online Enquiry