Working Holiday in Canada
 

Hi Everyone, I'm looking to find some feedback on working holidays in the resorts/hotels throughout canada, If you have worked with working holiday travellers or anything, any feedback would be much appreciated. Obviously I have the recruitment companies opion but just wanted to sourse some outside comments. THNXS

Hello regal, not sure where you are coming from but I will share a little info that may be helpful..
My son has recently worked on an Overseas Working Holiday Visa (he is from Australia)in Jasper for 7 months. He was going to try the recruitment agencies but instead emailed about 10 resorts/attractions and within the first week had three phone interviews and was offered two jobs.
He ended up taking the one that had accommodation as part of the deal as he was a bit hesitant about having to organise that on his first independent trip OS. He had a fantastic time, met lots of people doing the same thing as him and in fact is still OS (now working in UK) and catching up with the many contacts he has made.
I can only comment on Jasper, but there was lots of work available when he was there (March to October 2007) and once there he got a second job on his days off as well!
He worked at the Jasper Tramway and they offered a bonus if you lasted out the whole contract as apparently many people do a few months and move on.
Hope that has helped, if you think I can answer anything more specific let me know.
Good luck! Go for it!

Not done it myself but Banff/Lake Louise/Jasper are supposed to be very easy to get work and housing is often supplied since you're living in a National Park. Anytime I've stayed in the area the workers are young and from all over.

Here's a site that might help: http://www.banffjobs.com/jobs/index.php

Fairmont Lake Louise: http://www.hcareers.ca/seeker/employ...e-louise-hotel

Probably there are others

According to one hotel manager in Lake Louise I spoke to a couple of years ago, Aussies account for 1/2 of the work force in Banff and Jasper national parks. I suspect the number is similar in Whistler.

Not sure where OP is from but my son went to Jasper cos he didn't want to be one of many Aussies! He was the only one on the Tramway but did meet some others in town. Whistler however, was like a little Australia when we visited!!

I wouldn't use an agency - just contact employers directly.

Many of the employers in Jasper are dealing with the shortage of labour by bringing in overseas workers on contract from the Philippines. This is not the same as coming on a working holiday visa - these workers are contracted to one employer for the term and then have to go home... but it tells you something about the difficulty in finding workers here. There are lots of jobs in Jasper (and the other resorts in the Rockies) with summer's busy season coming on, however, as always, the problem is accommodation. Jasper has a chronic housing shortage.

At this point already (early May), the vacancy rate in Jasper is below zero - nothing available, and I know lots of people (long term residents) looking for places to live. To anyone thinking of coming here to work, I would say - don't come unless you have pre-arranged accommodation with an employer. It is unlikely that you will be able to find a temporary rental - landlords want 6 or (usually) 12 month leases.

The bonus system is also widely done to try and retain staff to season's end, and usually requires that you work either to Labour Day (first Monday in September) or to the season's end (usually in October). It's often a set amount per hour worked through the entire season. Some not-so-ethical employers have the habit of letting go of employees just before the bonus date, especially if they think they can find a replacement quickly, and if the employee let go is in staff housing. Staff accommodation is subject to the same standards as other types of rentals (Alberta Tenancy Act), so, by law, they can't just fire you and tell you to leave - they must give sufficient notice to vacate the housing. But a lot of kids don't know that.