Who we are

SWAP Working Holidays is a non-profit program that offers young Canadians a truly unique opportunity to explore the world through work and travel. Originally the Student Work Abroad Program, many countries now permit non-student youth to participate, so we’ve evolved our name into SWAP Working Holidays! For more than 30 years, we’ve been assisting thousands of young Canadians plan their working holidays. On a SWAP program, you have the chance to live and breathe another culture from the inside rather than simply passing through as a tourist.

When you participate in a SWAP program, you become part of a unique group of roughly 45,000 Canadians who, over the years, have taken on the challenge to live and work abroad.  We’re proud to say that we’re the largest and most popular international youth exchange program in Canada, and we look forward to continuing with our mission in assisting young Canadians in their travel and work aspirations.

We are owned and operated by the Canadian Federation of Students, Canada’s national student organization.  This unique student ownership means that any revenue we generate helps to fund new and innovative programs and services. Since it’s inception, SWAP Working Holidays has been administered by Travel CUTS/Voyages Campus, Canada’s national student and Youth Travel Bureau. The Adventure Travel Company across Canada and Odyssey in Kingston, Ontario are also a part of the Travel CUTS family.

Like all exchange programs, SWAP also hosts a number of foreign students and youth in Canada through our Inbound Centres in Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. Canadian applicants should be aware that folks they meet overseas could come work in Canada through the same organization hosting them abroad.

So, you’ve decided to make your travel experience more than just a weeklong vacation? We’re here to help!

SWAP Working Holidays is the work component of the experiential education feature of Travel CUTS known as GAP Year Abroad. Originally a British concept, GAP Year Abroad includes a range of international learning programs involving volunteering, studying, teaching, traveling and of course, working overseas. Our sister program, Volunteer Abroad, offers young Canadians an opportunity to both learn and help with local projects in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Through GAP Year Abroad, Travel CUTS opens doorways to the world for young Canadians.

Make SWAP part of your GAP Year Abroad experience. For more info, talk to a GAP Year Abroad specialist at 1-888-238-2887 or visit our website at www.gapyearabroad.ca