Working Visa's!

[northernjames]

Hello all

I want to do my ski instructor course in Canada but am a bit worried that I'll have problems getting working visa's since I'm nearing 30!

Can anyone let me know if this is a big problem or will the Canadian ski instructor qualification get me the working visa despite my age?

Also is it essential to have a language if you want to work in Europe?

Do I do it or don't I do it!?!

[SnowSkool]

Hi James,

SnowSkool's BW course is tailored towards an older age group (average age of 36 people this season is 25.3). The Ski School here is also very good at taking on former students - we have lots of graduates working as ski or snowboard instructors this year and sponsoring them with working visas. Stu Turnbull (aged....well, below 40!), you don't mind if I use you as an example?!?!?

I don't think you need a language to work in Europe, but you do, I believe, need snow! Sorry, cheap shot!!!!!!!!!

[bored_jon]

I am 31, I will be 32 by the time I enter Canada with a Canadian work visa.
I got mine through www.Bunac.org
need to be under 35 when you enter canada, have no dependents (kids & wife) be a UK citizen, that about it (except for money, insurance etc etc).
Costs £165 valid for 12 months as of date of entry, last date for those issued for 2007/08 is Jan 31st 2008.

Oh, I almost forgot, as a non-student under 35, its a one shot deal, you use Bunac to get a visa once, you cant do it again.

[laura]

Hey guys,

I've had an email from Nancy Myles at Gap Year Canada and she has received an allotment of non-student working visas for 18-35 UK passport holders. Gap Year Canada can also help arrange travel and accomodation. Getting non-working visas this late in the year is pretty rare, so if you're interested you need to get in touch ASAP as the visas will go soon!
Contact Nancy Myles on:

w. GapYearCanada.com
e Nancy@GapYearCanada.com
t. 020 7096 1632 (UK)
t. +1 403 762 3625 (Banff)
f. +1 403 762 3626 (Banff)

Good luck!

Laura x

P.S future students may wish to note down this contact as it may be useful to help you find work in the future!

[Josh]

Hi,

Josh here from Big White. I think maybe I can shed a bit of light on the work permit situation. To be eligible to work in Canada you can have a variety of work permits, student work visas, holiday working visas, etc. and there are a few different organizations that can help you with that, BUNAC, etc. From our end as an employer it doesn't make any difference how old the potential employee is so the 18-35 student rules and holiday working visa rules don't apply neither do the one shot only rules. What we do is apply to Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) for what's called a Labour Market Opinion poll. What happens here is the labour market is basically surveyed, is there a shortage of Canadian ski and snowboard instructors? Yes there is, so HRSDC "validates" our job offers to foreign ski and snowboard instructors. When an employer does the application is the job that's evaluated not the applicant. So, if you happen to stop by a Canadian Consulate and they tell you that all you need is an offer of employment from an employer in Canada, that's only half true, you need a "validated" offer of employment.

This season at Big White we've applied for access to 60 validations. We'll find out in a couple of weeks if that's going to go through but at this point based on the feedback from HRSDC all things look good so far. What this means is that we will have a small amount of valdiations that we can apply to Snow Skool participants after they are successful on the Level 1 course. In short, for the first time Snow Skool participants will be able to work and get paid while they train.

I think this is pretty good news, I hope that you do too.

Josh