 Poster: A snowHead
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Im a 17 year old in my last year of sixth form, next year I plan on doing a gap year before uni.
Just wondering if anyone has any tips or advice for a ski season. I have virtually no preference on where I go but I'm wondering what the best job is that isn't being an instructor. People I've spoken to say thats the best but its thousands of pounds for the course  . Just wondering if anyone has any ideas for jobs that still allow for plenty of skiing.
Thanks!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Firstly, go for it! I think you're best off going for the big ski areas in France (Espace Kili, 3 Valleys). Getting a job as a transfer driver or hotel shuttle is ideal.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I'll look into it, thanks!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@AlIre2024, probably too young for insurance as a transfer driver.
@johnnybegood, do you have an EU passport? If UK you'll find it difficult to get a job
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Sat 21-09-24 19:20; edited 1 time in total
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I dont have an EU passport... BREXIT.
Maybe will have to look into Japan/Canada etc...
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@johnnybegood,
Scroll down this forum & find the 'Seasonnaire - UK Passport' thread. Should give you a few leads.
Feel free to ask job specific questions - plenty of current and former seasonnaires on Snowheads - especially about skills/experience required.
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@Kenzie,
Thanks v much
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@johnnybegood, if you want to maximise skiing time, then the best option in my son's opinion is as a bar worker. He's an instructor himself, but of his resort mates, the ones that get out to ski the most are the ones working in bars who don't absolutely cane it during shift or when their shift has finished!
If you don't have an EU passport, have a look at Andorra. It's not in the EU so you stand just as much chance as anyone else in getting a job. You'll have more options if you can speak Spanish but if not, Pas de la Casa, Soldeu and Arinsal have enough English speaking visitors to make it worthwhile. Pas de la Casa is the preferred place for younger seasonaires!
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| Quote: |
transfer driver/hotel shuttle
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Probs needs appropriate professional driving qualifications.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Have a look at Canadian working holiday visas but they might be one and done so think carefully about whether you'd want to burn that at 18 or wait till post uni. Andorra seems a good shout to me. Night shifts as a dishpig probably most accessible anywhere. Obviously everyone would prefer the bar jobs.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Thanks to all
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https://coolskijobs.com/how-to-get-a-ski-job-in-the-eu-after-brexit/
Good article. Albeit 2 years old but the basics remain the same. Good news post Brexit. Companies are now applying for visas on behalf of workers.
Contact all the big tour operators. Inghams, Crystal, Nielson, Sunweb etc.
These companies are the best and easiest way to get in to do your first season without having too much local resort knowledge as they will take care of visas, accommodation, travel, training etc. They are in all the major French resorts as well as other European countries so plenty of location choice.
Time is of the essence however, so get onto it as soon as possible when you know you are ready to start applying.
Transfer driving is a bit tricky nowadays as anyone going to Geneva (which is most transfer drivers) will need special paperwork to enter Switzerland which isn’t easily obtainable, as well as the insurance only covering staff over a certain age.
Good luck.
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You know it makes sense.
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The article linked to by @Clarelisa, only mentions France.
It would be interesting to know just how many visas have actually been granted, and for which types of jobs. Across the EU the different countries have schemes that allow workers from non-EU countries to work for short periods, but these are usually limited to "shortage occupations" - i.e. occupations for which there is a shortage of qualified labour from within that country or from within the EU. In order to be granted permission to recruit from outside of the EU, the employer has to demonstrate that they have attempted to recruit from the local/EU labour market without success, or demonstrate that the role requires specific skills that only a non-EU worker can provide.
I'm aware of a number of people who worked in resorts pre-Brexit who have been able to continue working as their employers have argued that they are a key part of the team and/or have unique skills and experience. These include resort managers, bar and restaurant managers and some ski instructors. Talking to the British TO reps where I usually ski, it seems that the travel companies have not been successful in getting visas for junior posts - all of the "British" staff in the resort last season had EU passports (e.g. Irish, Italian, Dutch, German) through a parent or grandparent.
A quick look at Inghams' recruitment website paints a clear picture: https://careers.workaseason.com/inghams-ski-season
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Clarelisa wrote: |
https://coolskijobs.com/how-to-get-a-ski-job-in-the-eu-after-brexit/
Good article. Albeit 2 years old but the basics remain the same. Good news post Brexit. Companies are now applying for visas on behalf of workers.
Contact all the big tour operators. Inghams, Crystal, Nielson, Sunweb etc.
These companies are the best and easiest way to get in to do your first season without having too much local resort knowledge as they will take care of visas, accommodation, travel, training etc. They are in all the major French resorts as well as other European countries so plenty of location choice.
Time is of the essence however, so get onto it as soon as possible when you know you are ready to start applying.
Transfer driving is a bit tricky nowadays as anyone going to Geneva (which is most transfer drivers) will need special paperwork to enter Switzerland which isn’t easily obtainable, as well as the insurance only covering staff over a certain age.
Good luck. |
In my families experience, son & niece last winter, none of the big companies are applying for visas on behalf of workers.
The link in @quinton 's post has this
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| Please note that we are currently only accepting applications from candidates holding a right to work in the EU through either holding an EU Passport (sadly this no longer includes the UK), residency in the country you wish to work in, or appropriate visa |
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Poster: A snowHead
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| knackered knees wrote: |
| Clarelisa wrote: |
https://coolskijobs.com/how-to-get-a-ski-job-in-the-eu-after-brexit/
Good article. Albeit 2 years old but the basics remain the same. Good news post Brexit. Companies are now applying for visas on behalf of workers.
Contact all the big tour operators. Inghams, Crystal, Nielson, Sunweb etc.
These companies are the best and easiest way to get in to do your first season without having too much local resort knowledge as they will take care of visas, accommodation, travel, training etc. They are in all the major French resorts as well as other European countries so plenty of location choice.
Time is of the essence however, so get onto it as soon as possible when you know you are ready to start applying.
Transfer driving is a bit tricky nowadays as anyone going to Geneva (which is most transfer drivers) will need special paperwork to enter Switzerland which isn’t easily obtainable, as well as the insurance only covering staff over a certain age.
Good luck. |
In my families experience, son & niece last winter, none of the big companies are applying for visas on behalf of workers.
The link in @quinton 's post has this
| Quote: |
| Please note that we are currently only accepting applications from candidates holding a right to work in the EU through either holding an EU Passport (sadly this no longer includes the UK), residency in the country you wish to work in, or appropriate visa |
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Which are those companies you class as 'big'?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Kenzie, The one's mentioned in quoted post
Both son and niece tried with a variety of companies, niece had taken a chalet cooking course, and every company they contacted said they needed either a visa or EU passport. That is not to say it's impossible, but according to my son, those he met who had company sponsored visas tended to be long term employees, not those on a gap year.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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I dont know if it is still a thing but i did a season in Whistler Canada back in 2021 with a work and travel visa arranged via BUNAC which is British University North America Club or some thing like that - you could get a visa if you were either at uni or in the year before or after Uni...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@johnnybegood, my 18yr old daughter, UK passport, has just gone through this process and now has a job in La Plagne for this season (and was offered a role in Les Gets but turned it down due to short season). Once she had the job offer the Visa process was pretty simple and she can now work for 6 months/year for the next 3 years. It is by no means easy, but definetly not impossible. She did Orchard's Cookery Course and applied to about 80 jobs (chalet hosts, housekeeping, bar/wait staff) before she was successful. Chalet Host will give her a few hours each day to ski plus 1.5 days off/week. I would also recommend starting to look as early as May next year as she found that starting end June (after she'd done Orchards) she was already being told places had completed recruitment. Echo what others have said, look at @kenzie's post and go through her list of companies - we have a friend who did that, emailed every single one and she got 2 job offers, also a UK passport. If you can get experience this year working in a hotel/bar etc, anything to build up your cv in the area you want to work in that will help. Brace yourself for a lot of rejection and/or being ignored by lots of places you apply to. There are UK companies out there willing to take on UK passport holders, VIPSki, Ski Famille, Alpine Elements, Skibound, Le ski, Skiworld etc etc, I think even Crystal, Nielson etc do as well but not for all roles. Good Luck, send me a message if you want to ask anything else.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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@trmacc, Thanks very much
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@jonathancarty, What job is he doing, thanks.
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If possible save up and dont work is the best option. I did this and went to Banff
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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If you are struggling to find work this season then France can be very affordable for a long trip or two. French accommodation will be very cheap for the 5 weeks from the 4 Jan to 8 Feb and fairly cheap from 1 March. e.g. Season passes for £350-500 and a studios for 600-1000 a month.
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French holidays are until 8 March - then accommodation costs will drop markedly, though that following mid-week in March is one of the best of the season!
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FAQ
