 Poster: A snowHead
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My 18 yo wants to do a ski season after finishing school, maybe more. They don’t have an EU passport.
I think the options are:
Try to get a job with a UK company that still employs Brits & will help with working permit for EU - presumably pretty unlikely for an unskilled teen
BUNAC or whatever it’s called now, with a job in a ski resort in Canada
What they seem to call ski internships, in Canada, NZ or Japan, which seems to cost about £8k but gets you a L1 ski instructor job, accommodation etc.
Would be really interested to hear if I’m missing something, and any recommendations for any companies for ski internships if that’s a valid route…
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Speaking in terms of NZ (I employ plenty of UK young people doing a season) - they will need a working holiday visa (WHV) for NZ. Very easy to get.
With that plan in mind, hit up all the NZ ski fields who are currently advertising, and apply for jobs. No need to throw down the cash on doing one of those instructor courses. There's loads of work out there for lifts, hospitality, guest services etc etc. But you are probably already running out of time, and getting the visa sorted is critical - if it's not in hand when you get an interview, then there is very unlikely to be a job offer, and getting a job in the industry after end of April will be very difficult without specific skills that are in short supply.
A lot of the ski areas will have opportunities available for staff to do instructor training as part of their employment.
Personally, I wouldn't be too keen on Queenstown as a destination - accommodation is an expensive nightmare, but lots of youngsters seem to find a way of making it work.
As far as I know, it's a similar deal in Australia and Canada. Japan is usually limited to instructor roles for overseas workers, but it's not hard to get a level 1 cert whilst working elsewhere.
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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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You can get work in Japan on a working holiday visa
Not limited to ski instructing jobs
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For the internship route, this company do them
https://snowminds.com/ski-instructor-course/japan/3-week/
You can do the Level 1 in Kaprun in November, then fly over to Japan.
BUT
I wouldn't really recommend it, it's an incredibly expensive route to get the most basic of qualifications.
If I was your child, I'd be trying the Canada on a working holiday visa route.
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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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@Griddlebonnet, welcome to snowheads. I initially read "finishing" as an adjective rather than a verb, aka "Swiss finishing school" rather than "finishing their time at school"...
As of last season, Ski Famille were taking unskilled brits and arranging the necessary paperwork; a friend's daughter worked for them for 2 seasons and enjoyed it.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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My eldest ( UK national ) has done 2 seasons as a ski instructor in Austria in 21/22 and 22/23, so it is possible.
His route was to pass the Anwarter course held in Kaprun in the October. The English language version was too expensive for us, so I told him the only option possible was the German course, so, he learnt ( from scratch ) enough German to pass the course, and continued to practice until he started work on Boxing Day 2021. We were however entirely reliant on a ski school doing the necessary paperwork for him to secure a work visa ( but, don’t forget the Austrian government/tourist economy does require lots of young people to come and work in these roles, and were quite helpful when we were navigating the process ).
I think the moral of the story is that it is way more difficult these days, but, it can be done if you research the rules, follow them, and are organised in terms of timing/paperwork etc.
I’m happy to explain further if you want to PM me.
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I think there are still a few companies prepared to take on UK teenagers as chalet staff or similar. It may help if they can, say, cook! Might now arrange it via an associated company based in the EU who can help in applying for a visa.
Start looking at all the TO websites. Some might even open applications for 2026/27 next week!
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@Griddlebonnet, Welcome to Snowheads. Does he want to be a Ski Instructor or just spend a winter in the mountains? The latter is way cheaper! Canada and NZ are the easiest to get a (two year) working visa as a young person and there are lots of jobs available. We had one who did two years as a Ski Instructor in Canada but she was already qualified and completed her Level III during her time there. Europe is much more difficult unless you work for a UK based company. Visas are based on a quota system and they go pretty quickly.
As for the "Ski Internships", yes they are expensive but at least they come with accomodation and work opportunities. The cheapest way to qualify (assuming he can actually ski) would be to complete BASI Level I in the UK as soon as possible, and then BASI Level II on snow in November. The BASI website has videos that show the standards required and dates of courses. With those in the bag, he could then apply to work with a ski school in Europe.
Here in Ski Amade, we get a lot of UK schools visiting and the companies that run them always seem to secure visas for British Instructors. Try looking at IBT Travel, Snowslippers or "43 North" for opportunities.
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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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We are sno also run internships , I’m trying to convince my daughter to do this post a levels …
Prices include level 1 training (and level 2 at a higher price) , accommodation , season ski pass and a guaranteed paid job (assuming you pass the levels) etc
https://wearesno.com/ski-instructor-internships/
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| sheffskibod wrote: |
We are sno also run internships , I’m trying to convince my daughter to do this post a levels …
Prices include level 1 training (and level 2 at a higher price) , accommodation , season ski pass and a guaranteed paid job (assuming you pass the levels) etc
https://wearesno.com/ski-instructor-internships/ |
The internships are so overpriced. I wouldn't even be mad, except they are selling a dream that doesn't come close to reality. Id like them to publish what percentage of people are still instructing after the first year. My experience is 99% realise that ski instructor is actually a terrible job for what most teenagers are looking for - you spend majority of time of nursery slopes picking up kids and you earn a poor wage, and often the work isn't even consistent. You also have a job that directly clashes with your opportunity for skiing for yourself.
By season 2 most have worked out you are best to get an evening job such as bartender or waiter/waitress. Earn similar money (actually waitress in n America tend to earn a lot more with tips), more social, get to ski all day etc.
But lots of parents want to brag to their friends that son/daughter is a "ski instructor" (even if it's just babysitting kids all day) and are happy to fund it so why shouldn't the companies cash in.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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It is possible to get jobs as chalet host etc as 18yr old, just requires a lot of effort, ie applying to dozens of companies from as early as May. Look at companies like Alpine Elements, VIP Ski, Le Ski, Ski Famille, Neilsons etc. Cooking/hospitality experience a must for host roles and if they don't have that going to one of the Chalet Course cookery schools best option. The Cookery schools like Orchards help with CVs and will pass your details onto ski companies they deal with. My daughter got 2 interviews off the back of Orchards (didn't get the jobs though, but it was a start!). She then applied to every role she could find including finding British run hotels and just emailing them directly to ask if they took on UK staff.
These companies will help with work permits etc. Basically once you have a job offer you need to do a Residence Application (you need to get a medical certificate - very straightforward) and a Visa Application but our experience was the Company talked us through all the steps and it was easy once a job offer had been secured.
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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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Following with interest. Son is coming up 15 (Y10 at school) and this is where he wants his future to lie. He's pretty open to any and all routes and plans to do an apprenticeship post 16 to just earn money to save for it. Again, he's not bothered about what apprenticeship, so maybe something in hospitality will set him in good stead.
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@Owlette, "he's not bothered about what apprenticeship!"
Plumbers/Carpenters/Sparkys are the new Bankers and it may not be a surprise but those are exactly the trades that Alpine countries are crying out for. Visas almost a given. Win Win I think.
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You know it makes sense.
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| RedandWhiteFlachau wrote: |
@Owlette, "he's not bothered about what apprenticeship!"
Plumbers/Carpenters/Sparkys are the new Bankers and it may not be a surprise but those are exactly the trades that Alpine countries are crying out for. Visas almost a given. Win Win I think. |
Yep. Electricians will find work anywhere in the world. Good pay, good opportunities to set up your own business, much better career prospects than most university degrees without any of the debt.
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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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Screw that. Get some business management experience and qualifications and then you can sit in a nice warm office eating cake when the weathers bad, and pull rank for freshies on the powder days.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Funnily enough, we have discussed one of the trades, such as plumber or sparky. Not least because it'll be useful to have someone who can do it in exchange for a cooked dinner 
He's open to it. His current (imo excellent) plan is a two year apprenticeship where he can earn and save, and come out the other side with a qualification. Then he wants to take a gap year and travel. His first stop is returning to Vietnam and seeing where he ends up after that (though apparently definitely not Australia. Too many murderous things).
Then decide where he wants to go to do a season and train as an instructor. They're pricey, but he does like the sound of the internships for the full immersion experience.
As parents, we fully support this plan.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| boarder2020 wrote: |
| RedandWhiteFlachau wrote: |
@Owlette, "he's not bothered about what apprenticeship!"
Plumbers/Carpenters/Sparkys are the new Bankers and it may not be a surprise but those are exactly the trades that Alpine countries are crying out for. Visas almost a given. Win Win I think. |
Yep. Electricians will find work anywhere in the world. Good pay, good opportunities to set up your own business, much better career prospects than most university degrees without any of the debt. |
Prospects for trades looking even better when you consider the coming AI revolution which many predict is going to decimate the knowledge worker class (ie someone who mostly sits in front of a laptop for their job).
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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 understand why people want to do a season, or even multiple seasons. I don't really understand why people want to train as an instructor; it seems to me to be a very unstable job.
You get at most 6 months employment per annum. And that only if you are prepared to move to the southern hemisphere for half of it. Many get nowhere near even that: everyone is employed in half term and new year weeks, but not necessarily at other times, and no work often means no pay. So most need another job to actually earn a living: certainly in the off-season(s), and even in the main season. If you are a local that could mean farming or forestry for the rest of the year, or limited summer tourism work.
If you want to train as an instructor to improve your own skiing that might be a good idea. But if you want to earn money from it, doing a trade apprenticeship first is probably a good idea.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| Quote: |
If you want to train as an instructor to improve your own skiing that might be a good idea
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While you will probably improve your skiing through instructor training it's hardly the best way. In no other sport would someone looking to improve their own ability be told go do a coaching course. Better off actually doing a course aimed at improving your skiing if that's the goal.
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Then decide where he wants to go to do a season and train as an instructor. They're pricey, but he does like the sound of the internships for the full immersion experience
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It would be a huge step back. Less ski time, lower salary, inconsistent work etc. Why does he want to become a ski instructor?
The internships are the opposite of "full immersion". They usually create a group of 18-24 year old middle class gap year kids that are kind of isolated from the outside world (some would say reality )
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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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| boarder2020 wrote: |
| sheffskibod wrote: |
We are sno also run internships , I’m trying to convince my daughter to do this post a levels …
Prices include level 1 training (and level 2 at a higher price) , accommodation , season ski pass and a guaranteed paid job (assuming you pass the levels) etc
https://wearesno.com/ski-instructor-internships/ |
[...]My experience is 99% realise that ski instructor is actually a terrible job for what most teenagers are looking for [...]
By season 2 most have worked out you are best to get an evening job such as bartender or waiter/waitress. Earn similar money (actually waitress in n America tend to earn a lot more with tips), more social, get to ski all day etc.
But lots of parents want to brag to their friends that son/daughter is a "ski instructor" (even if it's just babysitting kids all day) and are happy to fund it so why shouldn't the companies cash in. |
This seems like the perfect situation for a teenager, and it won't be the parents who want to brag about being a 'ski instructor'. Working in a bar and telling the tourists "I'm also a ski instructor" seems like a great way to 'meet new people' 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| boarder2020 wrote: |
| Quote: |
Then decide where he wants to go to do a season and train as an instructor. They're pricey, but he does like the sound of the internships for the full immersion experience
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It would be a huge step back. Less ski time, lower salary, inconsistent work etc. Why does he want to become a ski instructor?
The internships are the opposite of "full immersion". They usually create a group of 18-24 year old middle class gap year kids that are kind of isolated from the outside world (some would say reality ) |
Fair comment and this is why I'm information gathering at this stage.
He wants to ski and be in the mountains. He wants to teach children and just get to be on skis all day long. I've suggested that he also look into becoming an Outdoor Instructor, so that he can have work all year round with other pursuits.
He's also well up for the idea of initially going out to wherever and working in a bar, but his goal is to get to ski for a job.
I do understand all the points about teaching actually taking up valuable ski time, so perhaps he needs to be exploring other mountain based roles. Eg ski patrol, especially if he has a sparky qualification under his belt. There's a lot of lifts that need maintaining, though then there's the language barrier to consider.
Plenty to think about. We'll focus on getting him though his post 16 years first.
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Being a lifty is probably the best fun.
Otherwise driving a cat or snowmaking but the hours suck.
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@Owlette, Pressing the reality buton here. Forget Ski Patrol. That's almost a closed shop in most resorts. Liftie is probably a better bet. The only way he will survive a ski season on entry level ski qualifications is if you continue to sub him, he gets a second job on top, or he doesn't go out.
First year instructors should expect to spend most of their time in the beginners area working with kids. By February, we will have decided who we want to invite back the following season. What it will give him is something on his CV that shows he can work with young people and as part of a team. Plus a greater chance of catching a STD! Our boys in the ski school have a bingo card and I'll let you work out what that involves. 
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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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Lovely 
Ski patrol is out. He's got his work experience in a primary school soon, so let's see how that goes. He might decide that that's more than enough teaching for him forever more.
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| Owlette wrote: |
Lovely
Ski patrol is out. He's got his work experience in a primary school soon, so let's see how that goes. He might decide that that's more than enough teaching for him forever more. |
That's the correct demographic for first year instructors.
Just another word of caution for others tracking this thread. If your offspring manage to secure a ski instructors job, make sure you read the T&C. There are schools where you are employed on contract for a fixed number of hours and wages for the season, then there are others who essentially employ you on a Freelance basis, So if you get the latter, no work, no pay. You'll be OK Christmas to the end of February but after that work might dry up and your youngster might be on the phone to bank of M&D or a flight home.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I have two teenagers doing ski seasons this winter. My daughter did a chalet specific cookery course and landed a job off the back of that for Le Ski, a British chalet company in Courchevel 1650. My son has no such skills (!), but applied to be a washer-upper with European Pubs (own bars in Meribel, Courchevel, Les Menuires).
Both employers explained the process for getting visas, providing the necessary documentation. They had to visit the embassy for a appointment, plus pay admin fees.
To my mind, instructor courses/internships are terrible value for money. If all you want to is ski, then rent an apartment and buy a lift pass - about the same price and often significantly less.
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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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| iainm wrote: |
| My son has no such skills (!), but applied to be a washer-upper with European Pubs (own bars in Meribel, Courchevel, Les Menuires). |
That reminds me....Back in 1978, when I had finished A Levels, myself and a friend decided to take a Gap Year. We went to London, where we were interviewed by a formidable, burly (and somewhat scary) ex-Army chap, who ran a company called "Jobs in the Alps"....He found people like us work in ski resorts dependent on skill set. As our language skills were a bit shyte, Washing Up was pretty much Hobson's Choice. We were told in no uncertain terms that if we took the job, we had to stick it out, as his reputation was at stake. We passed the interview stage so were in line for a placement.
My friend then got offered a place at Reading Uni and pulled out. At that time, I didn't fancy heading off on my own, in case the whole washing up lark for 4 months was a miserable experience....so I too pulled out. It is something that I look back on with regret.
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Sun 1-03-26 11:29; edited 1 time in total
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@Owlette, if he wants to be on skis and teach kids, why doesn't he do the L1 in the UK and teach at a local dry slope/indoor slope?
Much better way of doing it vs the gap year courses
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
To my mind, instructor courses/internships are terrible value for money. If all you want to is ski, then rent an apartment and buy a lift pass - about the same price and often significantly less.
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Yep it's wild. I used to ski bum seasons in Canada for a fraction of the cost of what the courses cost. What makes it even more crazy is most are aimed at gap year kids who are planning at most to use the very expensive qualification for 1 or 2 seasons before getting their "proper" job. Although they seem to be trying to rebrand what was once called a gap year course as an "internship". Guess it looks better on a CV
Maybe for Brit holiday skiers ski instructor still has a bit of prestige to it. It was considered a bit of a joke in Canada - "those that can do and those that can't teach". Perhaps just the circles I ran in which was mainly dirtbag skibums who were more interested in off-piste/backcountry and touring. That said, some of the level 1 instructors were pretty terrible skiers/snowboarders - but what do you expect when some of these courses churn out instructors that had only a few weeks on snow before starting. If you could actually ski patrol was considered the more respectable job to do.
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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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| swskier wrote: |
@Owlette, if he wants to be on skis and teach kids, why doesn't he do the L1 in the UK and teach at a local dry slope/indoor slope?
Much better way of doing it vs the gap year courses |
Most don't actually want to teach though. Becoming an instructor is just seen as a means to an end to do a season. Which is why it doesn't make sense for most people they'd be far better off just getting an evening job so they can ski all day. Or just investing all the money on the course to do 2-3 seasons as a skibums not needing to work.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| swskier wrote: |
@Owlette, if he wants to be on skis and teach kids, why doesn't he do the L1 in the UK and teach at a local dry slope/indoor slope?
Much better way of doing it vs the gap year courses |
Because our two nearest dry slopes are each an hour away in the car, with no traffic, and the domes are all minimum 2 hours away. On the salary he'll be earning, it's not worth it. Believe me, it is something we looked at. If he's going to earn a pittance, he might as well be in the Alps doing it, rather than dealing with the M4 daily.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| boarder2020 wrote: |
| swskier wrote: |
@Owlette, if he wants to be on skis and teach kids, why doesn't he do the L1 in the UK and teach at a local dry slope/indoor slope?
Much better way of doing it vs the gap year courses |
Most don't actually want to teach though. Becoming an instructor is just seen as a means to an end to do a season. Which is why it doesn't make sense for most people they'd be far better off just getting an evening job so they can ski all day. Or just investing all the money on the course to do 2-3 seasons as a skibums not needing to work. |
Don't disagree, the guy could equally also love it too. You don't know until you've tried it.
I didn't take my first exam until I was 31 and 10 years out of uni, and perhaps that's why I enjoy it a lot, as its totally different from the corporate world I also work in.
If I had the choice of only ever freeskiing for myself or only teaching, I'd pick freeskiing, as would probably 99.9% of all instructors, but i do find teaching really rewarding.
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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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| swskier wrote: |
If I had the choice of only ever freeskiing for myself or only teaching, I'd pick freeskiing, as would probably 99.9% of all instructors, but i do find teaching really rewarding. |
Quite. I'm a teacher. I'd be quite happy to retire to France and spend my winters teaching children to ski. Lad1 doesn't have to make a career out of it. It can be a fun way to spend his 20s. Maybe it'll lead to something, maybe it won't. I'm very much of the opinion that life is what you make it.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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One of my kids is on back to back season 9 of being a snowboard instructor and mostly enjoys it. It’s definitely a good way to travel and meet like minded people. Being a level 3 she gets better lessons and wages these days, so often gets paid to rip around on powder days with capable clients.
But I don’t think it’s a long term career but so what, gotta enjoy life first and foremost.
She didn’t do any kind of internship, just did the L1 course and got a job.
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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 spent January in Japan, there are loads of foreign youngsters working in hotels, bars, restaurants (including on piste), as lifties. Obviously plenty teaching skiing too although I don't know how accessible that it is without high level qualifications (I simply don't know)
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Back when I worked a ski season (France, many years ago) we had "ski hosts" who skied with the guests, showed them around, didn't teach. France made that illegal years ago. I worked as a "host/cleaner" - cleaning early morning, cooking/serving in the evening. Every keen skier thought my freeskiing from 12-4:30 was worth much more that 9-4:30 with guests.
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| jedster wrote: |
| Obviously plenty teaching skiing too although I don't know how accessible that it is without high level qualifications (I simply don't know) |
In Japan very easy with a working holiday visa. There's courses running in Kaprun that get you a L1, and then you get shipped off to Japan to work in Club Med settings.
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FAQ
