Working Holiday to Canada....

mikem1986

So I spent a few months travelling the US from NYC to LA and back again recently (August-November) and stopped off to see some friends in Toronto for a week at the beginning of my trip and another week at the end of my trip.

I absolutely loved it, my favourite city I went to by far and while I was over there I realised I can effectively earn double my salary in Canada than I do in the UK which has really got me interested in moving over there for a short while (1 or 2 years) so I can earn and save some money to be able to afford to put down a deposit on a house in the UK.

My question is has anyone here have any experience of working holidays etc specifically Canada or Toronto and can I have your thoughts or feedback?

phatbear

Do you work for a company that can sponsor you to go and work for their canandian arm of the company? Or do you have a particular skill set which is lacking in Canada?

You mention the wages being a lot higher but have you taken into consideration the cost of living, accomodation and income tax etc over there?

callum9999

phatbear wrote: »

Do you work for a company that can sponsor you to go and work for their canandian arm of the company? Or do you have a particular skill set which is lacking in Canada?

You mention the wages being a lot higher but have you taken into consideration the cost of living, accomodation and income tax etc over there?

The cost of living is comparable, if a little cheaper. Ditto with tax. Like every major city in highly developed countries, rent will be high in the centre/decent areas though if it's Toronto you have in mind.

Assuming you were born in 1986, and are therefore 28 years old, you have less than 2 years left to get the holiday visa, and you are limited to 1 year - you cannot stay for 2. If you're focussed and don't actually want it to resemble a holiday then you could come back with a half decent level of savings, but working holidays are not gold mines.

What is your occupation? How sure are you that a) a company will want to take you on, considering you aren't allowed to stay for more than a year and b) you could get the job relatively easily?

It's also done on a quote system which makes it incredibly hard to get. You need to monitor the website constantly as once they release the visas, odds are they'll run out literally within minutes! If you want to go this year then you need to look into it right now!

dawyldthing

I worked at a summer camp in Canada through CCUSA, who has contacts with nyquest. It's not the only way of getting a visa as you can just apply and man work in the ski season Vancouver side. This link will give you an outlook http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/iec/index.asp I think they release them for there winter season (I used to interview for CCUSA many moons ago) and many people used to work at summer camp then it can be extended, although you don't have to and can just apply yourself.

That's info from the nyquest site https://www.go-nyquest.com/what-we-do/work-permits-visas-for-international-summer-camp-staff/

callum9999

dawyldthing wrote: »

I worked at a summer camp in Canada through CCUSA, who has contacts with nyquest. It's not the only way of getting a visa as you can just apply and man work in the ski season Vancouver side. This link will give you an outlook http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/iec/index.asp I think they release them for there winter season (I used to interview for CCUSA many moons ago) and many people used to work at summer camp then it can be extended, although you don't have to and can just apply yourself.

That's info from the nyquest site https://www.go-nyquest.com/what-we-do/work-permits-visas-for-international-summer-camp-staff/

If you're there for the money, I'd imagine summer camps are absolutely dreadful pay? I know my pay with CCUSA in the US worked out to be $1 an hour!

You don't have to do a camp/ski season, you can work absolutely anywhere in Canada doing absolutely anything (legal!) for a whole year.

wondercollie

As a Canadian, can I just through my two bits in?


Our job market sucks. If the OP works in healthcare, the money is good but there are very few full time jobs and they'd have to be highly specialized to be hired.


Natural resource sector jobs are disappearing.


Tim Horton's is hiring but foreign workers but the money sucks.


So in a nutshell, s/he would be better off working for an international company and hoping they would arrange a transfer and do all the immigration paperwork.


Our wages might seem attractive but unless you are willing to live in a hovel and eat ramen a lot you won't find the streets paved with gold. Factor in our winters, the cost of suitable gear and heating.

cazziebo

My daughter is just back from doing a year on the young person's working visa. It all seemed to work very quickly - decided to go, applied for the visa and she was there within three months. She didn't have any problem getting work, but it was always bar or restaurant work. She stayed in a hostel in Toronto then moved into a flat share with some girls she met.

She didn't enjoy it as much as she did Australia, where I think there is more of a "gap year" culture. (She's been on a "gap year" for five years now :mad: )

DD1 did 4 seasons at CampAmerica and loved it, but only earned pocket money, despite having promoted posts in the latter years. (edited to add - this wasn't Canada - she was in the US)

John259

wondercollie wrote: »

Tim Horton's...

Just in case anyone doesn't know, they're a national chain of coffee shop restaurants in Canada. They also have some locations in the USA.

Hazzanet

John259 wrote: »

Just in case anyone doesn't know, they're a national chain of coffee shop restaurants in Canada. They also have some locations in the USA.

How I wish they'd open up here. Love Tim Horton's and White Spot.

browneyedbazzi

mmmm how I miss Tim Horton's!

As the other poster said above, I'd really recommend doing some research into the jobs you would be looking at OP. I am Canadian and still have a lot of friends and family over there and from what I'm hearing it is a difficult job market at the moment - made worse right now by the falling oil prices since a lot of the economy is based around natural resources.

becominganobsessivesaver

I spent 6 weeks working at Tim Hortons one summer, free doughnuts, yum!!!!!