Work Visas

Visas. Admittedly, it’s a bit boring, but it is important to consider if you’re looking to work in the industry. Most nationalities don't need a visa in order to come on one of our courses. We recommend that you check with the Canadian government website to see what the entry criteria are for your nationality. UK passport holders will enter Canada or New Zealand on a six month tourist visa that is issued upon arrival. You only need a working visa if you are planning on working in Canada or want to stay for longer than six months.

Working in a foreign country

If you’re planning on working in a country that’s outside your home, whether as a ski or snowboard instructor or in any other employment, you’re going to need a visa to work legally.

Generally speaking, there are two types of working visa.

A sponsored visa is one where an employer will support you in your visa application in return for you joining them as an employee
A working holiday visa is slightly different, giving you the right to apply for work wherever you choose in the country of your choice

There is a general international agreement to provide working holiday visas across the world in various countries. Typically a working holiday visa will last for up to two years, and will be available to those who are 30 and under.

If you’re planning on applying for a working holiday visa for any country, it pays to be prepared. Do your research and understand what the criteria are for your chosen destination for people from your home country. Once you know the criteria, then make sure you’re ready for when the visa application process opens. There may be competition for places, especially for Canada, so the more work you can do in advance, the further ahead of the game you will be.

HOW CAN NONSTOP HELP?

During the 11 week Canadian courses, we hold a workshop on ‘Working as an Instructor’. During the sessions, you will hear first hand from pros that have experience of working around the world, including various visa application rounds. We also provide a ‘Working as an Instructor’ manual, which has plenty of advice on applying for visas.

Typically, applications for the coming season in the southern hemisphere and the following winter in Canada are all made available during the Canadian winter whilst you’re with us. During that time our team are on hand to offer guidance and support in the application process.

Working in Canada

We know that the majority of our clients want to return to work in Canada once they have qualified as an instructor. The calling of those mountains is pretty hard to resist! With that in mind, we produced a guide on applying for a Canadian visa. Read our top five tips here.

To find our more about how to apply for a working holiday visa in Canada, check out the page below.

Canadian Visas