2023 update!
Why should you do a working holiday abroad? More specifically, why should you do a working holiday in Canada as opposed to another country? These are some awesome questions to ask yourself as you plan to go abroad for work and travel. Let us try to show you why Canada is one of the best places you can go!
The classic Canadian stereotype: maple-syrup swigging, hockey-loving, toque-wearing northerners who love to say “eh” a lot. In reality, Canada is an incredibly culturally diverse country. For example, you are able to find Chinese, Indian, Armenian, Russian, French, First Nations, and other communities all within Canada.
Canada prides itself as a multicultural nation that is accepting of all cultures, religions, and nationalities. Each year, you can find events such as celebrations of Lunar New Year, Diwali, Sakura Galas, Hanukkah, National Aboriginal Day, Saint-Jean-Baptise Day, Bhangras, and more. Canada is a great choice for a working holiday because you are able to interact with people of so many different cultures all in one destination!
Yes, we admit that the stereotype of Canadians being “super friendly” is pretty much true!. Canada is known for being a friendly country and it’s a trait that we’re proud of. If your home country is substantially different, or you’ve never visited Canada before, you’ll notice that the people here are generally extremely polite. Crowded bus during a morning rush? You’ll hear many “excuse me’s” as people squish into a bus.
You’ll also hear many people say “thank you” to the bus driver as they get off, which may be surprising to you. You might also notice that we have a habit of holding doors open for each other from a distance, letting others go in first for elevators and more. So if you’re going to do a working holiday anywhere in the world, you might as well do a working holiday in Canada where everybody is so nice and accommodating of foreign visitors.
The whole point of a working holiday is to be able to travel abroad, earn money and get work experience along the way. You will be able to find many different job options in Canada simply because of the booming job industry, especially in the hospitality and service sectors.
Entry-level positions in these industries are especially abundant, so you should have little trouble finding a casual, paid job during your working holiday in Canada – from resort jobs in the Rockies or Banff all the way to a city job in a fancy restaurant or trendy bar in the heart of downtown Vancouver.
You also shouldn’t underestimate the importance of the tipping custom in Canada. Canadians tip for the services they receive, so you can make a pretty good amount of tip money on top of what you are already being paid. There are so many opportunities in Canada that if you have a bit of work experience already, you will have plenty of options to choose from.
One of the best things about travelling abroad is being able to try out delicious new foods. Canada is definitely not an exception. We have some very “Canadian” dishes such as poutine, which consists of fries, squeaky cheese curds, and piping hot gravy. If you’re into sweet treats then you’ll be happy to learn that we offer Butter Tarts (buttery pastry shells filled with sugar, butter, and egg), Nanaimo Bars (graham-cracker, coconut, walnuts, custard and fudge), and the best maple syrup to complete any pancake stack.
For seafood, we have amazing B.C. Pacific salmon, B.C. spot prawns, great oysters and crabs, and Nova Scotian lobsters that you can enjoy in so many different ways. Late-night out? Enjoy a classic Halifax donair or some Montreal bagels to indulge in the next morning.
As for snacks, feast your taste buds with our famous Canadian coffee crisps and Lay’s ketchup flavoured potato chips, to name but a few. If sampling delicious food during your working holiday in Canada isn’t a major incentive for you, then we don’t know what is!
There is a reason Canada is hailed as a nature lovers’ paradise. From the towering old-growth forests to leafy pink blossom trees; the blood-red maple trees of fall to summer’s wildflower season, and everything in between, Canada’s flora and fauna are a feast to the eyes.
Into wildlife? Canada is also home to many beautiful animals and marine life. You can visit Victoria or Vancouver Island’s Tofino for whale-watching operators, where you’ll be taken to see orcas, humpbacks, bowheads and more. Try snorkelling with salmon fish in Vancouver Island’s Campbell River. Just outside of Edmonton, you can visit Elk Island National Park, which is home to about 700 woodland and plain bison.
There are also plenty of mountains that are perfect for skiing or snowboarding during the winter season. If you’ve never seen the sun behind the mountains, then you’re definitely missing out because there’s something just so magical about seeing a haze of yellow, orange, red, and purple mixed together in a fiery blaze behind snow-capped mountains. But don’t fret – your working holiday is the perfect opportunity to get away and experience the beauty of Canada’s nature firsthand.
It might seem like a quaint and quiet country but if you’re worried about a lack of fun things to do here, then you’re definitely in for a (good!) surprise. If you’re into city life then you can find an abundance of awesome restaurants and shopping places in major cities such as Vancouver, Montreal, or Toronto.
If you’re an outdoorsy, adventure junkie then you’ll be glad to hear that Canada is one of the best places to do anything adventure-related! Think: kayaking, canoeing, hiking, trail running, mountain biking, camping and tons more. Ever heard of the B.C. Grouse Grind? It’s a super-challenging hike that will be sure to give you the workout of a lifetime! Want to try a bunch of trails with different levels of difficulty? You can head on over to Burnaby near the Simon Fraser University campus and explore the many trials of varying intensity such as the Cardiac Trail and the Trans Canada Trail – and that’s just around Vancouver!
Interested in skiing, snowboarding, or snowshoeing? Head over to a resort for your working holiday and enjoy all those activities and much more!
Canadians love their beer, so there is a great selection for you to choose from if you come to Canada for your working holiday. With so many great Canadian beers out there, you should be sure to try out at least a couple. Our list of famous brews is extensive, but a couple we would like to mention include: Red Racer Pale Ale, Imperial IPA, Pilsner, Nutcracker Porter, and La Fin du Monde.
There are sour beers and cream ales galore so if that’s your thing, then you’re in for a treat. As well, some countries have higher legal drinking ages such as the U.S. where the minimum is 21 years old. You may be happy to know that in some parts of Canada (such as Quebec, Manitoba and Alberta), the legal drinking age is 18 while in most other provinces such as British Columbia and Ontario, the legal drinking age is 19. While we only encourage enjoying yourself responsibly, we definitely suggest trying out at least a few Canadian brews during the course of your working holiday.
Unlike some countries, Canada has four distinct seasons that you can actually see and feel: spring, summer, fall, and winter. While the months may blur together in other parts of the world where days are either all mostly cold and dark or hot and sunny, Canada is able to experience the best of all the seasons. The summers bring an abundance of sunshine and longer days and the winters almost always bring some snow. Summers bring opportunities to sunbathe on the beaches and to hold barbecues with friends. If you’ve never experienced snow in your home country then Canada is the place to have your working holiday so you can build your first snowman and have an awesome snowball fight!
Firstly, participants who are interested in a Canadian working holiday are generally allowed to apply until they’re 35 years old (for most countries, some exceptions apply for other countries). Compared to other countries, which usually have an age limit of 30 or 31, this is a more lenient age system. So if you’re over the age of 30 or 31 and are still interested in a work and travel abroad experience then you can go ahead and apply for a working holiday in Canada.
Secondly, depending on how you like your experience, you may also have options to extend your stay or even convert to a longer-term Canadian visa. If you’re currently thinking about applying for a Working Holiday visa through International Experience Canada (IEC), then go ahead and check to see the Working Holiday visa requirements to see if you’re eligible to apply.
Canada is a fairly easy country to get settled into. With just an ID and some evidence of income, you are able to rent accommodation from most landlords. Want to open up a bank account and set up cable, wifi, and more? All you need in most cases to set these up would be your passport. To help you with your transition into a new country, all of our Canada Working Holiday programs include tons of great services in your package.
Benefits include help with your SIN, banking, cell phone, an orientation, help with your job search, resume revision, interview prep, one night’s hostel stay with breakfast, and more! You can feel secure knowing that your job in Canada is guaranteed before you arrive, or you’ll get your money back. Plus, you will have the full support of the Stepwest team during your entire stay in Canada!
Tempted to take a working holiday in Canada?
Get in touch to learn more about our Canada Working Holiday programs and how we can help you start planning the adventure of a lifetime!