A bit of a short back story first

I’m 25, single voluntarily 8) , and have become generally bored with my crap paying job (13,500 PA). So would like to do this in the next 2 years depending when I get on the quota for IEC.

Looking for advice from people who have done it or similar.

I was thinking BC to be the best place to go, although certainly not the cheapest. All year round biking would be important to me if possible. Any cities/towns people would recommend that would be cheap to live in?

Vancouver is the big one, but I don’t think I could afford to live there on the wage I would probably be earning.

Job wise – again I don’t know much about it, perhaps working as a lift chair operator in one of the mountain resorts?

Im going on holiday to whistler next year anyway, so that will give me some idea of what it would be like.

Got loads more questions but will ask them later.

All your advice would be most welcomed here on all aspects.

Thanks

Mike

IIRC temprorary working Visas weren’t too hard to get, but they have tightened up the longer term visas since the recession, the company now has to prety much prove that there really is no one in Canada suitable for that job, I don’t know if that’s impacted on the more touristy working visas for seasonal work.

Also look at the likely wages, I’ve got cousins over there and in some areas the low paid jobs are as little as $2-$3 an hour, but equaly the cost of living is peanuts in those areas. On the other hand they live somewhere I’ve never heard of, but the mountains and therefore hopefully the riding looks like it’d be out of this world! They’re into their MX, quads and skidoos and there’s a touch of redneck about them so their facebook feed is pretty cool! So don’t limit your research to just the big expensive resorts.

That far north and landlocked with no equivelent of the gulfstream you’re unlikley to get all year round biking. Remember those chairlifts weren’t built for bikes!

Im looking at the IEC program, which entitles you to live and work in Canada for 1 year. Oh yeah I realize that the lift accessed biking is a no go in winter, I just meant XC stuff lower down the mountains.

I just figured a job in a resort would be easiest to come by. BC is so huge its difficult to know where to start looking!

bump for evening crowd/people on other side of the world.

I worked at Lake Louise as a ski instructor for 3 years. All on 6 month visas (sponsored).

I will be going for my residency at some point.

I am Canadian, although I have lived here in the UK for 12 years. Before moving here, I lived in four different provinces, and travelled through pretty much all of them. It will be difficult to find anywhere in the country where you could ride all year round, although it is possible to ride (within limits) through the winter, on studded tyres.

Working in resorts, I can imagine, would be an incredible thing, especially (from my point of view) if you were able to ski. It doesn’t have the glamour of downhill or snowboarding, but x-country skiing through Canadian forests is pretty amazing.

One thing I would say though, is this: do not neglect other parts of the country either. BC is spectacular, but so is Quebec and the entire area covered by the Canadian Shield. Do take a look at what might be available to you in those places.

Will write more during the week so just tagging the thread. As per saxon rider year round biking is not really a goer unless you do fatbiking and even then it can get fairly chilly. Winter = skiing.
whistler is not that representative of the rest of canada or even BC to be honest.

I’m in Alberta so can more help with this side of the rockies.

plenty of uk people working in the ski resorts in winter but it’s not the same as the European scene. Much smaller.

Just arrived 2 weeks ago in Whistler on an IEC visa. Took a while to get because I was on the wait list, you need to be like greased lightening to get them as they go so quickly in small batches.

I was lucky enough to get a job and somewhere to live before I came out here which is great as it means a) I wasn’t paying mental hostel prices and b) there’s a huge housing shortage in Whistler at the moment for seasonire types. There’s plenty of work, but no where for people to live.

The trails in the valley here are still rideable at the moment but we’ve not had any snow down here yet. As soon as there’s a big dump the trails will turn into XC ski and snow shoe tracks :p That said though there’s pretty much all year riding in Squamish and probably North Van too.

I bumped into a Canadian holiday maker the other day who told be BC stands for ‘bring cash’. He’s not wrong. Bring as much as you can. Most jobs here will pay in the $10-$18 range. Maybe more with tips or if you’re doing skilled work. It’s possible to live here relatively cheaply but food is very expensive and rent can be too.

Anything you want to know just ask 🙂

I live here but if I had the choice again I’d go to New Zealand.

Generally, you’ll only get year round biking in the lower coastal areas ie Vancouver and surrounding areas and, I guess, Vancouver Island. If it’s a good snow year you’ll be restricted to lower trails only but they’ll be plenty of riders pushing up hill in deep snow

You’re right to follow the IEC route. Its the only way to get a visa unless you are following another program like the PNP or other, but you need to be bringing a demanded skill or coming to further an existing business’s skillset to qualify for these processes.

So, get prepared and get on the IEC program the second it gets released! Literally.. those limited visas ‘sell out’ like hot cakes.

Wages.. $10.25 is the minimum wage across BC. Its not much less in other provinces.. mnore in some.
alcohol servers can be paid as little a $8ish/hr but they tend to rely off tips.
Whats do you do back home for work? Ski Resort jobs are fun.. but winter seasons are just an extension of uni in all reality for most resort workers.

You’ll make more out of your year pursuing work that matches your long term goals.. but if you just want a season’s break from reality.. a ski resort job is just the ticket.. just don’t expect to take any money home at the end.
(I’m not bashing seasonal work….I work a ski resort job in the winter)

Jobs wise.. heres a easy resource – http://www.workbc.ca/

@whatnobeer – mind if I send you a few emails? needs some questions answered!

Are you sharing accommodation with anyone? Is it possible to live on your own with a minimum wage paid job?

@bearbackbiking – currently a warehouse worker. Not exactly a dream job but I never really had an idea of one really.

I mean I have no set place of where to go and work/live, I just figured a resort would be the easiest to combine everything. Although maybe not the living part after what has been said!

I know someone who is currently living in Victoria, but Im not sure thats the best place to go.

Just back from two years in Vancouver on the IEC. 8)

Brilliant two years but not a place I could see myself settling, was glad to come back to Scotland but equally glad I’d had the opportunity to enjoy such an amazing city for two years.

Biking in Vancouver was plentiful, there are buses which run from downtown to literally the bottom of some of the most famous north shore trails, it’s pretty much too good to be true.

I don’t remember ever being completely unable to ride in Vancouver, just don’t limit yourself by taking a DH bike, something 5-6″ is ideal, I took a second hand Pitch.

Don’t dismiss hiking and snowshoeing as cheap winter activities, the hiking on the North Shore is great (I would know having spent plenty of time off the bike with injuries etc). Great fun researching and trying to find the scary old school trails like Flying Circus and GMG.

As for work, I’m not sure I can help you there, I really landed on my feet as I work as a consultant in the building trade, they’re screaming for them over there, our company was almost literally hiring engineers off the boat (so to speak).

It is expensive in Vancouver, I was on $30/hr living comfortably and could have lived equally comfortably on $25/hr if I wasn’t paying off a credit card. Without the expensive beer habit and eating out two or three times a week? Could have lived on $20/hr. But that’s just me, I’m pretty clumsy with money so if you’re canny you’ll enjoy yourself on less again. Just don’t be put off by the cost of the average bike you see on the trails, there’s a lot of bling up there!

I know places like Pemberton, Chilliwack, Hope, Squamish all have decent riding and are relatively (1-2hrs driving) close to Vancouver and Whistler, so good bases perhaps, don’t know about cost of living and employment prospects though.

There is some amazing riding on Vancouver Island, Cumberland in particular springs to mind. Probably cheaper to live, again not sure about employment prospects. Nanaimo might be a good base as it’s a relatively easy trip to Vancouver and back, you could probably make a day trip to go riding using ferries etc. Also close to Bowen Island where Dangerous Dan Cowan exiled himself to and continues to build trails like the old school North Shore stuff.

Happy to answer questions etc, email in profile.

I’ve not really got anything to add but will bookmark this thread as have ambitions to do a couple of years (or more if it all works out/visas allow) in BC somepoint in the next few years when I’m done with uni.

Oh, and IEC looks to be getting more and more competitive at the moment, although I think they might be bringing in two year visas so at least you only need to jump through hoops once.

Total nightmare trying to get the Visas through IEC though, their system just couldn’t cope with the demand. Start saving now and prepare to miss out first time around would be the best bet to avoid disappointment.

IIRC temprorary working Visas weren’t too hard to get, but they have tightened up the longer term visas since the recession, the company now has to prety much prove that there really is no one in Canada suitable for that job, I don’t know if that’s impacted on the more touristy working visas for seasonal work.

It has for sure. In the ski resorts a lot of foreign instructors cannot work there this season.

@13thfloormonk – ygm 🙂

@whatnobeer – mind if I send you a few emails? needs some questions answered!

Are you sharing accommodation with anyone? Is it possible to live on your own with a minimum wage paid job?

Yeah, I’m in a shared room in a shared house. Paying $550 a month plus utilities etc. It’s a pretty good rate considering the location in the middle of whistler. For a single room you’re probably looking at $700-$1200 a month, depending on location if you’re headed to Whistler. I reckon you could probably make it work on minimum wage, but you won’t have a lot left for gear or beers.

Fire me an email if you want – jamie at jamiecarson.co.uk

If you know how to fix or sell bikes, then this shop will seemingly hire anyone:

http://bspbikes.com/

I’d describe the boss as a ‘character’ to keep things nice and happy….. I worked for them for a couple of years, one when I had a BUNAC work permit, and then BSP sponsored me for a second year under some weird pilot scheme that BC was running at the time.

I think you have got to have the right personality to live / work in a resort. I’m a grumpy C U Next Tuesday so was glad to get out of Whistler. If you are bringing a shed load of cash, or don’t mind bar work, or freezing your tits off standing next to a ski lift, and are happy to live with a load of p!ssed up Aussies, you might find Whistler to be heavenly.

Life ended up pretty good for me as I am now happily married and run a bike workshop in Vancouver so I’ve got no regrets. If I knew what I do now, I’d have saved a shi-ite load of cash and not lived in Whistler. I’d have just stayed in Van and got a proper(ish) job. And then once settled in the province, move somewhere less city like.

I am currently on an IEC in North Van. Great place to live plentiful riding and a lot of cool people. It can be kinda expensive but if you budget well enough its very manageable. I luckily managed to get a job before i came out here working for a bike shop in North Van. BSP is a decent place to work as one of my friends was managing the workshop there but by the sounds of it the owner can be a little volatile. If you are looking at a job in the bike industry be warned it is seasonal unlike the UK and if your in a sales job probably about $14-$15 an hour. Rent is very dependant on where you want to live and with how many people. I started of on 33rd and fraser which was pretty good at $650 inc bills but lived with a lot of random people! Now living on upper lonsdale its more expensive rent wise but cheaper as the commute is shorter and I can ride from my front door. Anymore questions email is in my profile

Will, pics of youre wedding cake or it never happened. 😛

Boom!

Even looks like you !

Ha, yes a friend of Sues did the artwork.

Bookmarking 🙂

Email these guys and see if they have any work: https://ccnbikes.com/
Started by a guy from Berkshire who went there on a one year work visa…

I don’t have any experience in selling/bike shops though 🙁

Id happily be a lift operator, I think. The reason a resort could be tempting as they can offer accommodation with a job (not for free obviously) so that would be a lot easier, probably one of the smaller places ie not Whistler. A friend of mine has mentioned Kelowna,Vernon, Nelson and Invermere as good places.

Has anyone worked in the technology/IT sector over there?

Playing with the idea of looking for a PM or BA role at present.

Just an update for anyone who’s interested.

The IEC application I was all ready for, However once it opens it was a lottery if you will get accepted in time. As it turns out the page struggled to load and in the end I’ve ended up on the waiting list. full quota is 5000 and Im 6000 and something. So whilst Im being positive its probably unlikely I will get in this year (unless a thousand or so people drop out 🙄 )

Still at worst a learning experience for next year. Bit gutted though.

Hard lines Mike, I know the feeling, although I was fortunate enough to scrape in, saw plenty who didn’t.

Did they release all the Visas in one go? My last go round they broke it into three tranches of Visas, but I think that just meant dealing with the mayhem three times round rather than once.

2 rounds this time. First round was a frantic rush to get everything filled in, and I was seconds out from submitting in time, again though I had a fast internet connection (work) but wasn’t enough and it slowed.

Round 2 all I had to do was log in and submit, but even then the page was slow to load. At first I thought I was in as had WTN but then realized it was in the 6000’s 🙁

Still a chance though. Maybe!

Took me all three rounds last time…

Fingers crossed for the WTN number. Worst case is you keep saving for next year, and spend the time in between planning some epic trip for when you get there!

Bit of good news on this, I got emailed to upload documents and pay few weeks ago and have sent off my mycic work permit application this week. Fingers crossed it all goes well and is accepted and I get my poe soon.

Would anybody like to give me job next Summer? 🙂

Congrats man, shouldn’t take too long to get the POE through now. Not sure what Vancouver is like for jobs, but Whistler’s dead easy to find work in the summer and the biking is cracking.

I’m just back from visiting a mate out there , would love to go out and live/work there but I’m too old for the IEC programme (33) not sure what else I can really

Yep il be going to whistler to start with end of April hopefully. How did you go about getting your SIN? Go into Vancouver for it?

Is the SIN the social security/insurance number that you need for getting a job, bank account etc? If so I got mine in Whistler, they have certain days at the visitor centre where you can go and get it done 🙂

Good luck! I tried to stay out there in 2011 but couldn’t get a job anywhere due to no experience in any “normal” jobs (ie restaurant or coffee shop work) and I wasn’t the most outgoing person back then. Was in Whistler for 3 months and it was amazing, wish I coulda stayed longer! Still, I had the best summer ever and lost about 3 stone and 6″ off my waist in the process.

Yeah that’s the one, anyone else comfirm I can get this in Whistler?

Oh and I received my Poe last week. So Im all good to go for next year. Need to start saving some extra cash!

UPDATE: Just booked my flight, I fly out on the 28th April. Excited/scared but that’s normal I guess! (or hope)

Can I get from Squamish to Whistler on the pacific coach shuttle? I know I can get to either from YVR. But I was planning on getting the shuttle from YVR to Squamish (so I can get my SIN) spend a few days there and then move up to whistler on 2nd may as thats when I can move into my accomm.

I guess I could just get to Whistler first and get settled, then head to squamish without having to worry about lugging a bike bag around with me.

Mike

Greyhound will get you from Squamish to Whistler no problem, and I’ve stuffed a bike box on a Greyhound before no problem (visiting Rockies from Vancouver, 13 hours on a bus but being woken at 4am by sunrise on Mt Robson out the bus window was pretty special 8) )