Canada is a super popular country for people from abroad to come and work and live in. Little do most Canadians know, but the Canadian government’s agreements that bring people to Canada also allow Canadians to work worldwide using working holiday visas for Canadians.
Introduction
Working Holiday Visas for Canadians: What is a working holiday visa?
Definition: A working holiday visa is a type of visa that allows young adults to work and travel in a foreign country for a limited period usually up to one year. The main goal of working holiday visas is to allow travellers to experience a new culture while being able to work entry-level jobs to fund their journey.
Ok but what does this mean for Canadians you might wonder? Well, Canada has created agreements with 33 countries around the world. This gives Canadians a plethora of options to choose from when choosing where they would like to work and travel.
If you want to know a little bit more about working holiday visas specifically you can check our article:
Working Holiday Visas: Your Gateway to Work and Adventure
The 33 countries Canadians can do working holiday Visas in
| Andorra 🇦🇩 | Australia 🇦🇺 |
| Austria 🇦🇹 | Belgium 🇧🇪 |
| Chile 🇨🇱 | Costa Rica 🇨🇷 |
| Croatia 🇭🇷 | Czechia 🇨🇿 |
| Denmark 🇩🇰 | Estonia 🇪🇪 |
| France 🇫🇷 | Germany 🇩🇪 |
| Greece 🇬🇷 | Hong Kong 🇭🇰 |
| Ireland 🇮🇪 | Italy 🇮🇹 |
| Japan 🇯🇵 | Latvia 🇱🇻 |
| Lithuania 🇱🇹 | Luxembourg 🇱🇺 |
| Netherlands 🇳🇱 | New Zealand 🇳🇿 |
| Norway 🇳🇴 | Poland 🇵🇱 |
| Portugal 🇵🇹 | San Marino 🇸🇲 |
| Slovakia 🇸🇰 | Slovenia 🇸🇮 |
| South Korea 🇰🇷 | Spain 🇪🇸 |
| Sweden 🇸🇪 | Taiwan 🇹🇼 |
| United Kingdom 🇬🇧 |
Working Holiday Visas for Canadians: Eligibility and Application
Eligibility and Requirements
The requirements and eligibility always change depending on which country you are applying for. Listed below are the most common requirements you will find. But always do your research before applying to see if you are eligible for the specific working holiday visa you are applying for.
- Between the ages of 18-30 (these visas are marketed towards young adults; age differs depending on the visa)
- Valid Passport (pretty obvious)
- Sufficient Funds – Enough money in your bank account to fund yourself for a short period of time in the country
- Health Examination – Doctors note saying you’re mostly healthy
- Return Ticket – a ticket proving you will leave the country at the end of your visa whether it is a return to your country or another country
- Health Insurance – Coverage if you are injured or fall in the country
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Application Process
The application process usually involves filling out forms and a visit to your nearest embassy or consulate.
When applying for a working holiday visa you can go through the process yourself. It depends on which country, regarding the complexity of the application. We recommend finding an authorized agent to help you through the process. Especially if the country you are applying for is one where English is not commonly spoken or the documents are in a foreign language.
Not only can authorized agents get you through the application process. But many of them can act as recruiters for you, and have connections to companies looking to hire international workers.
Finding Work
If you are not working with an agent who is helping you find a job then you are on the hook to do it yourself. You will be better off finding a job before you get to the country just so you have a continuous flow of income. Look at the local job boards, and also join the ex-pat community or digital nomad Facebook groups for the respective country.
Cultural Integration
Another good thing you should do before heading out on your trip is to learn a little bit about the local language. You do not need to be fluent but it is good to know the basic greetings and other important questions. Duolingo should be sufficient you do not need to take a university course unless you want to.
Working Holiday Visas for Canadians : Conclusion
Canada is always looked at as a popular destination for people to come live, work, and visit. But Canadians themselves are not huge on travelling to other destinations around the world. Maybe it is because the cost of flights in Canada is incredibly expensive. Maybe it is because Canadians think they have everything they could ever want right in their own country. For whatever reason we try to break this norm and encourage others to travel abroad and experience other countries and cultures.
If you are interested in taking a working holiday in any of the 33 destinations that permit Canadians reach out to us at Yonderpreneur and we will help arrange your own working holiday destination.
Thank you for reading and remember to always keep venturing beyond borders.