A: Yes, among other eligibility requirements, you cannot be over 30 years of age at the time you arrive in Canada (even if you are currently a full-time student at an American university or college).
A: Yes, in order to apply for the Work in Canada program, you must be a student of an American university or college who is currently attending school as a full-time student. Graduating students are eligible.
A: SWAP will issue you a Certificate of Participation for the Work in Canada program. Upon arrival at a Canadian port of entry (planes, trains or automobiles) you will present this certificate to Canadian Immigration along with valid identification (your American passport ideally or birth certificate with photo ID). The Canadian immigration officer will then issue your Canadian Work permit. This permit is called an Open Employment Authorization which is valid for up to 12 months and allows you to work and travel anywhere in Canada (except in the fields of childcare, healthcare and education of children).
A: Departures for the Work in Canada program are year-round. This means you have the flexibility of choosing when you leave the States to enter Canada provided that you arrive in Canada no later than December 31st (see the Eligibility page for more details).
A: If you want to repeat the Work in Canada program you must attend a U.S. college or university for one full academic year between programs.
A: In terms of employment opportunities, the best time to go will depend on what part of Canada you plan to spend your working holiday. For example, the ski season is from November to (late) March so jobs at ski resorts will be in abundance particularly in the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec during this time. In the summer months (May to August), businesses in the hospitality, tourism, retail and restaurant industries will be looking to hire seasonal workers to fill various positions. Such casual-type jobs are available throughout the country but employment opportunities can be best found in Canada's major cities such as Vancouver, Toronto and Montréal. More professionally oriented jobs may be harder to find, but may be landed at any time of the year. January can be a tougher month to locate employment so we suggest that you have additional back-up funds to cover your expenses if you choose to arrive at this time.
A: Go to the travel section of your nearest bookstore and browse through some guidebooks about Canada. It will give you a better feel about Canada's cultural and geographic diversity. Search for more information about Canada on the Internet. Read some of our local newspapers online.
A: How long it takes to find a job often depends on a participant's personal ambition and self-motivation to find that job. For example, some participants take a more laissez-faire approach and spend some time settling into their new surroundings while other participants start looking for a job as soon as they arrive. What we have typically found is if a participant is actively searching for a job (i.e., pounding the pavement by walking into stores to apply for jobs, handing out resumes, etc.), it can take anywhere between 2 to 10 days for that participant to land a job (again, this will depend on the time of the year in which you arrive).
A: Most of the jobs advertised at the hosting centres are in the retail, clerical and hospitality/tourism industries because these are the industries that often hire seasonal staff. Past participants said they enjoyed working in these fields because they were able to meet many people through their job. These jobs also offer the flexibility of short-term employment, enabling you to travel whenever you desire. Nevertheless, if you are very industrious and have a strong resume, you may be able to find work in other fields. Some past participants were able to obtain longer- term jobs in other fields. Consider beginning your job search before you leave the States. We've had participants working in many different jobs, from a coffee shop clerk to graphic design to yacht club manager! Whatever your desire may be, Canada is sure to offer it.
A: When determining your departure date, SWAP recommends that you plan to arrive in Canada one or two days prior to an orientation date. Orientations are held at all three of our SWAP Hosting Centres. Office hours and orientation session dates are subject to change. Information will be provided in your Pre-Departure kit.
A: On the work visa you are provided with, you are prohibited from working in the following fields: childcare, health services, or teaching (in primary or secondary schools).
A: On the work visa you are provided with, you are legally entitled to work anywhere in Canada.
A: Other than having a good command of the English language, you are not required to meet any additional language requirements. Canada has two official languages, English and French, and for some jobs, being bilingual may be an asset but it is very rare that you would be required to speak French unless you head to the province of Québec. Québec is the one province in Canada where the main language spoken is French. So if you are interested in living and working in Québec, it is strongly recommended that you have a good command of the French language (both spoken and written).
A: To register for the Work in Canada program please contact any of the offices listed here
A: No, you may not. The Work in Canada program is run in conjunction with rules & regulations set out by the Canadian Government. It has been mandated by the Canadian Government that you must be a US citizen in order to participate on Work in Canada program so there is unfortunately no exception that can be made to this rule.
A: The Canadian government requires that all Work in Canada participants be adequately covered for the entire duration of their stay in Canada. If you already have an existing insurance policy, you may still be required to purchase Travel CUTS'/Adventure Travel' insurance depending on whether or not your existing policy covers any medical expenses you may incur while outside of the United States. Once you apply for Work in Canada, your Travel CUTS/Adventure Travel counsellor will be able to better advise you on this matter.
A: A hosting centre is the SWAP office located in Canada. It's where your orientation session is held the day after you arrive. The hosting centres have job and accommodation postings/contacts and lots of pertinent information about these topics. SWAP staff provide excellent advice about living and working in Canada. Resume counselling is available. Each office has many computers with internet access available for your use free-of-charge, to assist you with your job search and to help you keep in touch with friends and family back home! You can always contact the hosting centre for information or in the event of an emergency. The hosting centres also arrange social events for you like pub nights, sports events and other excursions.
A: We provide you with employer contacts, resources and helpful hints about locating employment in Canada; however, we are not a placement programme. We believe that part of the working holiday adventure is the experience of using your resourcefulness to land a job. We also want to give you as much independence and flexibility as possible to work in whatever job you like, whenever you like. If you are unhappy with your job, you are free to look for a new one. Many participants have worked in one city for a couple of months and then toured around, later finding themselves in another part of the country where they secured a second or third job. Our participants have a very good success rate in landing themselves employment within several days or 1 week of arrival.
