Work and travel in Canada – Useful tips
Almost a year ago, I found myself in Toronto about to start a working holiday in Canada. As usual, the seasons had just changed pretty much straight from winter into summer a couple of weeks before, and everyone was cheerful and relieved that the long, hard winter was over. Looking back at nearly a year full of amazing and crazy experiences, I’m going to share some useful tips for working and travelling with a working holiday visa in Canada with this post. Some of this information has already featured in previous posts but I thought it would be a good idea to compile an update as one article – I would have certainly found this information very handy prior to embarking on my own working holiday.
A journey through Canada
After starting off in Toronto and heading east first, exploring Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, I travelled through the country by bus to Vancouver. After a short road trip down the west coast of the US, I returned to Vancouver to live, work and later, to ski quite a bit. A map of my journey, linking through to a selection of previous posts, can be found below:
If you are keen to learn more about preparing for long-term travel or a working holiday in Canada, check out my previous post on Preparing for a working holiday in Canada. It includes information on how to immigrate to Canada on a working holiday visa, arranging health insurance and flights as well as a list of hostels I can recommend for staying in some of the bigger cities in Canada.
In general I would recommend getting a HI (Hostelling International) membership. It only costs around 20 CAD (11 GBP / 13 EUR) for a year and the card gets travellers discounts on the numerous HI hostels across Canada and the US as well as discounts on tours and transportation, e.g. busses and train journeys as well as car rental. The card and membership can be purchased in any HI hostel Canada-wide.
One thing to note straight away about Canada is that prices are generally quoted without tax (VAT; mostly 15% province-dependant). This applies for everything, from drinks in a pub to car rental and bus tickets, so be mindful of the additional taxes when comparing prices and purchasing.
Setting up in Canada
Provided you have got some initial accommodation sorted for the first days or couple of weeks, and aside from exploring whichever fantastic city you’ve landed in, if you’re planning to be in Canada more than a few weeks and you’re thinking of working at some point during your stay, you will definitely need a social insurance number, a bank account and a mobile. Even if you don’t have a permanent address yet, you can set up all of these with a temporary address (e.g. the hostel). I’d recommend starting with the social insurance number as mobile phone providers and banks sometimes wish to see this document when you apply for a bank account or mobile phone contract.
Getting a social insurance number in Canada
The social insurance number can be obtained from Service Canada Centres in most cities. The SIN is required to start a job and it is also required as a form of Canadian identification e.g. to set up a monthly plan with some mobile phone providers. This is only if you don’t have another form of Canadian ID, e.g. Canadian passport or driving license. You also need to bring in your passport including the work permit to obtain the SIN.
Finding a cheap bank account in Canada
Bank account options are numerous, all with different monthly fees. The cheaper ones only include limited transactions and withdrawing money from other bank’s ATMs is chargeable too. TD Canada Trust currently have a “Welcome to Canada” package which gets you a Premium bank account with unlimited transactions and free withdrawals from all ATMs (not just TD-ones) for free for six months. After that, the account can be downgraded to a cheaper option if desired. All you need to apply (in branch is easiest) is a passport and an address (I gave the address of the HI Hostel I stayed in Toronto). Alternatively, the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) seems to offer a very good deal: A free-of-charge bank account however without the Premium benefits offered by TD Canada Trust.
Finding the most suitable mobile phone contract in Canada
The amount of options for mobile phone contracts can be confusing too. There is a possibility to get just a prepaid card however I have been told the Canada-wide coverage isn’t as good as with the monthly plans, which start from 30 CAD (16 GBP / 20 EUR) per month with very little data. The data packages drive up the cost. The best coverage is provided by Telus, Bell and Rogers or their affiliate companies Koodo, Virginmobile and Fido, who offer cheaper monthly plans. These are good options if you plan to travel. If you’re thinking of staying in the big cities, Freedom offers cheaper rates but there is next to no reception outside of the metropolis.
Moving across Canada
Travelling by plane or train in Canada
There are plenty of ways to get around Canada. Usually flying and taking the train is the most expensive option, although some train journeys through Canada are amongst the most scenic in the world. As a member of HI (Hostelling International), you will get discounts for train journeys on VIARail. For flights, WestJet usually offers the cheapest rates or check out skyscanner.net to compare different providers. If you’re travelling by train, bus or car, one thing to note is that Canada is really big. I took the Greyhound bus from Montreal to Vancouver and the journey takes 3 days and 3 nights – and the Greyhound bus does not have sleep compartments.
Travelling across Canada by bus
Busses are cheapest when booked in advance, however they very much vary in terms of comfort. The Greyhound has the widest reach across Canada however whilst most busses are comfortable with plug sockets and stable-ish WiFi, others are less so. Another decent bus company is Megabus.
Between Montreal and Quebec, the following bus companies are operating:
- Orleansexpress between Montreal and Riviere-du-loup
- Maritime bus from Riviere-du-loup to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia
Renting a car or campervan in Canada
Renting a car is probably the best option if you’re tight with time and you still want to see a lot. I’d really recommend booking it online in advance. The HI membership gets you a discount with some car rental companies, e.g. Alamo, Enterprise, National but only if you book online. The following (German) website also offers worldwide, cheap car rentals: billiger-mietwagen.de.
If you don’t fancy staying in hostels or in a tent, a good option is to rent a campervan. Wickedcampers is probably the most popular brand, offering compact campervans (usually older models covered in a quirky graffiti spray-tan) including all equipment required minus bedding, however they are also quite expensive. Therefore it’s worth looking into local, lower-budget options such as Roamfreecampers in Whistler. These are quite basic but have everything you need for a road trip.
Buying a car or a van in Canada
Good websites for checking offers are kijiji.ca, craigslist.ca and the various Facebook groups for Backpacking Canada, Work & Holiday Canada where other backpackers often sell their vehicles
Don’t forget that on top of the sale price, you will also have to pay a province-depending tax to the government for the sale upon registration (in the province of British Columbia, this is 12%)
To register and get your number plate, you can just go to an ICBC autoplan broker, you can google offices that are often e.g. in Walmart.
ICBC will also arrange insurance for you. Don’t forget any (English-only) documents proving your claims-free years you have earned from previous vehicles. This will save you lots of money. Insurance in Canada is expensive. If you have documents from non-English speaking countries, they have to be translated by an ICBC-certified translator. A list for this can be obtained at ICBC.
On a German driving license, you can also license a vehicle (and it isn’t more expensive than with a Canadian license) but you need a second piece of ID, e.g. your passport
If your vehicle is from another province, you will need to get an out-of-province safety inspection done to get it registered. My seller did this for me and I would insist that anyone selling a vehicle which has been registered in another province would do so too.
All regulations around vehicles are province-related, which makes purchasing vehicles more difficult. E.g. in Nova Scotia, only one number plate has to be attached at the back of the vehicle. In my case, in British Columbia, number plates are required at the back and the rear of the vehicle, which means I had to go back to the dealership to get the front license plate mounted as there wasn’t any mount for it on my vehicle from Nova Scotia.
Finding rideshares while travelling in Canada
Ride shares can be found on hostel boards or online on kijiji.ca, amigoexpress.com and kangaride.com as well as in the various Facebook groups such as Banff Canmore Calgary & Area Rideshare Travelmate Finder, Backpacking Canada, Canada Backpackers where other backpackers advertise rideshare offers or requests.
Last but not least, a lot of people are hitchhiking in Canada which seems to work as well.
Finding cheap accommodation in Canada
The best website to look for shared accommodation is craigslist.ca. Under “Housing” there is a section for “Rooms and Shares” as well as “Sublets and Temporary” if you only need a place for a shorter / limited time. A friend has also recommended padmapper.ca – this website is searching craigslist.ca and kijiji.ca for ads and lists them on a map – as well as apartmate.com and viewit.ca.
I’d always start looking for rooms once I have decided which areas would be suitable for me, i.e. potentially after I have spent some time in a hostel in this city. In Vancouver, I found this Neighbourhoods Guide very helpful. The Downtown Vancouver area is obviously the most expensive. For me it was essential to be close to the Skytrain, the fastest means of public transport, to make sure I can get around easily once I find a job.
Keep checking and refreshing the page all day and be quick. Especially in summer or early autumn, rooms will be gone in the blink of an eye. Call if there is a number – don’t bother emailing unless you don’t have another choice.
Prepare a list of questions to ask over the phone. E.g. Is it a private room with a door, how many people live there, how many bathrooms does the place have etc. Otherwise you might waste your time going to places that are unsuitable (like I did at first).
Landlords ask for a security deposit, which is usually half a month’s rent before moving in. One of my friends actually had the deposit ready when he viewed the room – therefore he got it, to the dismay of the other room searchers looking at the place with him.
Finding work in Canada
First and foremost, especially if you have done other Working Holidays in Australia and New Zealand, be prepared that in Canada, finding a qualified job might take a bit longer. If you’re looking for information on how to obtain a Canadian work permit, check my previous post on Preparing for a working holiday in Canada.
The best places to look for temporary jobs are:
- Hostels boards and websites – in particular for manual / labour work or hostel jobs.
- Pristine Labour in Vancouver is good for starting a labour job fast – you just need to pass a security exam. Some of my friends have started working via this route.
- Websites such as indeed.ca and craigslist.ca.
- Temp agencies – I registered with Angusone, Adecco, Drake International and TempYours but there are plenty more. I just went in with my CV and registered with them on-site. It’s essential that you follow up with them regularly and stay on the case. Some agencies such as Kelly Services advertise roles on their website and prefer that you apply online.
- Some Facebook groups advertise jobs, e.g. Irish in Vancouver, or Brand Ambassadors of Vancouver (or Calgary), the latter mainly for promotion jobs.
For restaurant and bar work, it’s best to check the places and ask if they are looking to employ. The same goes for hostels although they also advertise jobs online. For this type of work, in particular with hostels, it seems that applying ahead of season is best; the same goes for jobs in ski resorts.
The salaries in Canada for temporary jobs aren’t great. Office admin roles can pay anything between usually 14-20 CAD (8.39 – 11.99 GBP; 9.43 – 13.47 EUR) / hour. In bars and restaurants the salaries are usually a bit lower however you get tips. The minimum wage in Canada is 10.85 CAD (6.50 GBP / 7.30 EUR) / hour. Qualified work gets paid a lot better than this.
I found this article – 13 weird (but totally legal) ways to make extra money in Canada – really interesting, listing options such as transcription and freelancing to earn some extra cash.
Networking seems to be big in Canada too, therefore I would recommend finding out about local job fairs or checking meetup.com for professional meetups in your field
Working for free accommodation in Canada
One way to save money in Canada is to work for free accommodation or to do a “work-away” as it is sometimes called. Various websites bring together hosts and travellers seeking to work for accommodation and sometimes food. Usually working hours do not exceed 25 hours per week, leaving plenty of time to explore the area where the host is located. I used a website called Help Exchange because I heard good things about it but there is also WWOOF Canada (short for willing workers on organic farms) and Work Away. The way these sites work is that you need to create an account and pay a small membership fee (in my case with Help Exchange, it was 29 CAD (18.16 GBP / 19.88 EUR) for 2 years) so you can get in touch with potential hosts that advertise their place with pictures and a description. I recommend taking into account the following search criteria when looking for a suitable host:
- Choose places that have good reviews from other travellers (which are usually also posted on the website). I wouldn’t go to a place that doesn’t have any reviews yet or even multiple bad reviews.
- Make sure the host is located in an area that you’re interested in. If they are located in a remote location, ask about ways to get around if you want to explore the area. Some hosts even lend their cars / bikes to helpers.
- In general, call them and ask questions about the place to make sure it’s a good fit (e.g. about the type of work, any animals in or around the house, accommodation (shared, own room, kitchen, bathrooms, showers, internet available), any food provided or shops in the area, ways to spend free time, other helpers / people living there etc.). Especially if the host is located remotely and they have to pick you up somewhere due to a lack of public transport, you might not be able to leave right away if you figure upon arrival that it’s not a good fit.
- Listen to your gut feel. If you have concerns, don’t go.
