wez_sti

After i've sold my car and got my finances sorted (see other thread!) i'd like to work/live in whistler for some/most of the winter..

anyone know how you go about getting a working visa, how much they are, if theres much work available etc..

ideally looking to work in a bar/club, and a complete ideal would be as a DJ, but i'm trying to be slightly realistic!

went there 2 years ago and fell in love with the place, snowboarding in the day drinking at night (when not working) what more could you ask for!?!

Apparition

Speak to the Canadian Embassy in London. Good Luck and I'm sooooo jealous of you !
Yve

wez_sti

how come? why dont you do it!?!

wouldnt be too jelous, knowing me it'll prob never happen! getting my finances in check in time will take a small miracle!

Apparition

I have two very beautiful grandchildren holding me here in the uk , couldn't leave this island for love nor money now. But you must go for it if you have the chance.
Good luck , Yve

Markus

For all your immigration questions, ask here

I've been in Toronto since April 2003 and love the place. I'm lucky as it was an intra-company transfer from our UK to Canada office, so the work permit was essentially a formality, and so I cannot really comment on how easy/difficult it would be to get in.

There is a "points" system, that I do know, have a look on that site, I'm sure there is a point score thing on there that will let you know if you meet the requirements.

You might also want to join this yahoo group and ask on their. Most of the people on there come from the old Toronto Expats Meetup group. Plus there is also this section of NASIOC that might be worth looking/posting in.

VinPetrol

a couple of friends of mine went to whistler this time last year an only got back a couple o months ago, they loved evry minute of it, jus worked in bars an restaurants.

Danny B

I am fortunate enough to have Canadian citizenship as well as having a British passport . I used to live in North Vancouver (about 1.5hrs south of Whistler) years ago and on the odd occasion I would ride up to Whistler (motorbike not pushbike) the place was full of Aussies working illegally.
Depending on how old you are well depend on your chances of getting a work visa, ie- if you are under 30, not married etc you will stand a better chance than a family man in his early 40's.

Lovely place though, what memories...

wez_sti

Am 24, single..

was thinking about the cash in hand option, not ideal though really!

would do bar/restaurant work, have done both before. DJing would be very though.

does anyone know if the hotels/bars etc.. provide accomodation or ski passes or anything for there staff?? can imagine accomodation being very expensive.

have family in vancouver so have a stop off point, also know someone with a cabin up there aswell, poss be able to rent a room... fingers crossed!!

GaryScoobNCBR

hey wez, hope you do this mate.

Im downing tools and doing this in January, im going to Fernie in BC for 3 months to become a snowboard instructor. Im going with a company called nonstopski

3 months of pure fun me thinks...then its off to new zealand with my new skills and back to canada the season after

Im sitting at werk now for the next 3 months getting all excited ..and not doing much work.

Go for it ...

wez_sti

believe me if i can i will! just a case of getting the money in order!

would love to be a snow boarding instructor, only done one days boarding though! loved every second of it though and its the main reason i wanna do it! loved snow and cold weather since i was a kid!

was inspired quite alot as one of my instructors had only been snowboarding 2 weeks!!

so maybe after a month i'll be competant enough to take basic classes... i'm quite good with people and learn fast!

olliecampbell

iTrader: (3)

Sounds great fun. Saving up (and spending it!) to go to Banff in March ish time. Love snowboarding (try to go at least 2-3times a year) but my finances are in such a mess now because of it

GaryScoobNCBR

Banff is great, went there earlier this year....only downside is the traveling to the slopes.

Wes yeah get yourself out there your'll improve so much in a few weeks its mental

You could always drive to fernie and get a free lesson

Danny B

Accomodation in Whistler is very expensive, best thing is to get 4 or 5 of you sharing a house and split the costs that way.
There are places nearby where you could live but then you'd have the hassle of driving or getting the bus into Whistler.

If I were you I'd apply for a work visa and if you get turned down then go down the cash in hand route...loads of bar jobs (or at least were when I was there last) for you to do to earn some cash.

Have you thought about living & working in Vancouver during the week and spending the weekends at Whistler? That's what I'd do.

I was renting a place in N.Van that was reasonably cheap, bought a 78 Chevy Caprice Classic for $1,000 and working all the hours God sent during the week. My weekends were unreal..camping, ski ing, hiking, canoeing, drinking, sampling the local ladies (hope you like Orientals)

Much better plan if you ask me unless you specifically need to be based in Whistler.

106rallye

I have done a few winters before be warned they are very adictive! I think you may be being a little too specific though unfortunately and will be lucky to get the job you want

Firstly a lot of people want to work in Canada for the whole season, lots of companies will be wanting to employ people who have worked for them before as it costs a lot to replace a leaver with airfares etc. also most jobs will already have been filled.

Everyone wants a bar job and even more want to be a dj unfortunately as you get the best time on the slopes (as well as the most attention from chalet girls!!)

If you can afford to become a ski bum then go out there and just do some cash in hand jobs (snow clearing etc) but it will not cover your expenditure!!

TBH though if you could make a living out of it then I would be straight back out to the snow!!

I heard on the grapevine that visas were hard to get this year because they have given out too many this year but that is probably just the jungle telephone.

Check out www.natives.co.uk for some more reading - however I should warn anyone its not a work safe website as once you've seen it you will all be dreaming of quitting your jobs (and of all those chalet girls!)

In all seriousness it is the most amazing fun and i would recommend anyone who has the chance to take it, you meet the best people you skiing/boarding improves so much and its really good fun (if hard work!)

Good luck and if you have any more questions i will do my best,

Andy

p.s. I am super jealous of who is spending a winter in Fernie supposedly the best powder in the world!!

wez_sti

wheres fernie???

Brendan Hughes

Draw a line btwn Whistler and Banff. Halfway along, go 50 miles down and there's Fernie.

...ish.

It's owned by the same people who bought Lake Louise, and they're trying to develop it to the same standard.

What's it like Gary? I've been to Banff 3 times now, wanted to go to Fernie to see if there's a change. I imagine there is less town life (but building quickly!) and slightly less choice of slopes, as Banff gives you LL and Sunshine (we won't mention Norquay!). Someone also told me Fernie, like Whistler, has the risk of rain at the edges of the season as it's closer to the coast.

wez_sti

ok, should of said where is bannf and fernie!!


assume banf is further inland then, towards toronto maybe???

Brendan Hughes

Google man!

Situated in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, the town of Banff is located inside the boundaries of Banff National Park. It is situated 128 kilometres (80 miles) west of Calgary, 401 kilometres (250 miles) southwest of Edmonton and 850 kilometres (530 miles) east of Vancouver. Commercial airlines service each of these three Canadian cities, and buses to Banff and Lake Louise run year round.

www.banff.ca to start...

Markus

If Banff was towards Toronto I'd not be here typing, I'd be on the slopes (probably on my back, writhing around in pain, as I can't ski too well )

Brendan Hughes

That's Canada for you - Banff is towards Toronto as (when in London) Paris is towards Iran...

wez_sti

guess i could of put it another way, ie EAST

how does banff compare to whistler then for size/night life/cost of living/sking conditions etc...??


i know whistler gets very wet snow/sleet/rain fairly regualy, does this often cause the slopes to be unusable??