Looking to work a ski season in Europe as a UK citizen post-Brexit?
So exciting that you’re looking into working a season and experiencing all the mountains have to offer!! As a UK citizen, you may be thinking about options in Europe including France, Austria and Switzerland. We’ll be reviewing a few key pieces to help your planning.
Do you have “the right to live and work in Europe”?
You’ll have seen this phrase while job searching. What’s important to understand is that without EU citizenship you will need to have a valid work visa. In order to qualify you will need three main components.
The first is a job offer. There are a number of job listing websites (see below) where you can find the currently available roles. They will include kitchen, chalet hosting, resort repping and an array of other hospitality jobs. As part of your interview process you’ll want to discuss the next piece which is a company sponsorship. This can be a time consuming and difficult process for employers so be sure to discuss it early on so you can be prepared. This is why many job listings will require EU citizenship. Lastly, be sure you have enough time before the season’s start as the visa process can take 2 to 5 months to finalise.
I haven’t been able to get sponsored, what else can I do?
Don’t worry as there are many other options to still get out for a season. The first is to look at countries that offer working holiday visas. If you are aged 18 to 31 (35 for some) you will qualify for a 1 to 2 year visa that allows you to to work and travel. For the Northern Hemisphere winter (November to April) you can look at Canada and Japan. For the Southern Hemisphere winter (June through September) Australia and New Zealand.
I’ve always wanted to be a ski or snowboarding instructor
It’s the dream for many. Being out on the slopes every day helping others experience the magic of being on the snow is incredible! In order to work as an instructor you’ll need to be certified. Most ski schools will have interviewed and hired their instructors a number of months before the season which makes it difficult to show up and try to get certified and then get hired by yourself. You’ll want to put a plan together to best utilise your time and set yourself up for success.
Be sure to confirm your visa status
The main takeaway when applying for jobs based in Europe is to start the visa conversation early with potential employers so you are prepared and can plan for contingencies. Be sure to confirm that you have a valid work permit as some employers will have you use your Schengen days while paying you in the UK. This is a gray area and will minimise your ability to return back to the EU for traveling without waiting 180 days.
Where do I go from here?
If you’re thinking about ski/snowboard instructing consider our 11 week courses in the powder capital Niseko, Japan. We’ll help you get prepared with everything you need from accommodation, passes, training, exams, future season support, social/cultural activities and much more. If you’re already a strong intermediate level on the snow you would qualify for our level 1 and 2 course, The Epic. If you’ve never been, then our Learn to Ski course The Primer is for you. For full details: https://www.projectsnow.com/experience and contact us directly at info@projectsnow.com.
Thanks so much for taking the time and please reach out if you have any questions! See you out there!!
Job listing websites:
https://www.seasonworkers.com/
https://www.bestskijobs.co.uk/
Working holiday visas:
Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/iec/about.html
Japan: https://www.uk.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/index_000072.html
New Zealand: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/new-zealand-visas/visas/visa/united-kingdom-working-holiday-visa
Your safety means everything to us! You'll travel with us with full security through Project Snow's Travel Guarantee
