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Do I Need a Visa for a Ski or Snowboard Instructor Course?
Guide Summary
For a Canadian ski and snowboard instructor course, you only need an electronic travel authorisation. If you intend to work in Canada, you will need an IEC Working Holiday Visa, which can take considerably longer, and you need to be eligible. New Zealand & Europe have their own systems, and again, if you wish to work in these countries, expect more effort and allow more time to obtain these visas.
Visas for Courses
- Canada
Unless you are from Canada, you will need a visitor visa to do a ski instructor course. Citizens in many countries can apply online for an electronic travel authorisation, a simple online process that can be completed before or after you have booked a course – but you must have applied before you travel. A decision is usually instantaneous, and the ETA costs $7. Once approved, this holiday permit is valid for 5 years.
Some countries do not have an ETA agreement with Canada. In this scenario, the participant must apply for a visitor visa via the Canadian Embassy in the country of residence. Visitor permits are usually valid for 6 months of travel.
- New Zealand
Many countries have a visa waiver agreement with New Zealand, which means you do not need a visa to do an instructor course.If your country is not on the list, you will need to apply for a visitor permit. Applications can be made online via the Immigration NZ website.
- Europe
Citizens of EU member states do not need a visa to do a ski instructor course in Europe. Citizens outside the EU may need to apply for a travel permit to attend a course, depending on their country of citizenship.
Visas for Internships
Unless you have citizenship in the country where the internship takes place, you will need a working holiday visa to do a snowboard or ski instructor internship. Many snow schools won’t even offer you an interview unless you have the appropriate visa.
Working holiday visas can take a long time to receive, so get started with yours quickly once you know you want to do an internship. Winter Sports Company are here to help you with your application. And although it can be a tiring process, it will all be worth it in the end.
Working holiday visas are available for citizens of many countries who want to work in Canada, New Zealand and Japan – please refer to our Working Holiday Visa page, to find out more. The Winter Sports Company help their clients throughout the entire working holiday visa process from start to finish offering advice over email and phone 7 days a week. So if you need help please get in touch.
FAQ
This is different to an eTA. However the application process itself is usually straight forward and simple. The time it takes for a visa to be granted is anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks – it varies depending on country.
The cost varies depending on country, but tends to be relatively cheap.
