Whistler 2013 / 2014 - The Community Blog
Hi guys,
So i’m pretty new to BW! My name is Alysha i’m 23 and live in Adelaide S.A
Anyway I’m wanting to work my first ever snow season this year! I have been talking to TJ about Sun Peaks. I’m just wondering if any of you already at Whistler right now can tell me what the job process is with them? Do you have to go through a program, can you just apply and have a Skype interview? If you have to go through a program what is the best one to go with ect ect.
I know it’s still early to be looking into this but I just want to work out where I am going and what I have to do to get a job there.
If you can give me any information that would be siiick 
Cheers,
Alysha 
Leasha, heaps of you questions (any many more) are answered in this thread.
https://www.boardworld.com.au/forums/viewthread/13765/
It is possible to get a job without a program BUT it does seem harder in Whis. If you don’t go through a program you need to be there for the job fair. which i think you can’t/don’t want to do?
Rocking up once the season starts is always a possibility.
Hey Alysha,
You don’t need to go through a program. Actually, I would encourage you to save your money and go through the usual process with Whistler Blackcomb. As ozgirl mentioned, to get a job through the usual process, you will need to get to Whistler early in the season for the job fair etc. They do conduct interviews for international instructors over the phone (or at least they used to), but not for other jobs as far as I know.
When do you plan on getting to Whistler? Are there any particular jobs you are chasing?
Here’s a few more threads with a lot of info on living/working in Whistler. Might be worth a quick browse.
https://www.boardworld.com.au/forums/viewthread/13119/
https://www.boardworld.com.au/forums/viewthread/352/
https://www.boardworld.com.au/forums/viewthread/5367/
https://www.boardworld.com.au/forums/viewthread/3409/
https://www.boardworld.com.au/forums/viewthread/4904/
https://www.boardworld.com.au/forums/viewthread/4048/
https://www.boardworld.com.au/forums/viewthread/3053/
Please feel free to ask us any specific questions and we will be more than happy to help you. Whistler is a special place, and if you want to do a season there, it’s worth taking the steps to make it happen. I will be back there next season. Can’t wait!
Hi Rider26 and Ozgirl,
Ozgirl you are right I don’t want to go through a program.
Rider26 for my first season I want to be a lifty 
I don’t have much snowboard experience so I want to be out on the snow riding as much as I can.
As for heading over when do you think would be the best month for me to go over?
I’ll have a ready of the links you posted and get back to you if I have any questions.
Once again thanks a lot for your help! I can’t believe how helpful people are on here it’s really good and I’m glad I stumbled across BW
No worries, Alysha. That’s what we’re here for. 
It’s probably best to get to Whistler in October. This will give you time to get settled, organise bank accounts, get a phone, get your SIN (social insurance number required for employment), before the Job Fair which is usually around the start of November.
Whistler is a fantastic place regardless of the time of year, so it’s never a bad thing to get there early. I’d be aiming for early/mid October if you have a choice.
Also, apply for your work visa if you haven’t already. http://www.whpcanada.org.au/
I think I have decided for Whistler first choice and if that fails Sun Peaks
You guys that have done a season before how much $$ did you head over with? My aim is about $10,000 do you think this is a good amount or not enough?
Also I need to get a board and all my snow gear as I don’t have any would it be better getting it once I arrive?
Yeah I could get there early October easy! My only comitment here is my girlfriend and she is telling me to go for it :D On that note have any of you done a season with a partner back home?
Now as for accommodation while I’m waiting for the job fair. I’m guessing a hostel would do the job for a month before I can get into staff accom.
I already have the visa form printed just wondering on when I should send it off.
$10,000 is more than enough, you’ll have more money than most Aussies heading over haha. You just have to be smart when you’re over there, don’t go out and blow money in clubs every night etc. It’s easy to get caught up in the party lifestyle in Whistler. Cook good food at home, go out when you want to etc. The key is spending 90% of your energy snowboarding. If you do that, you’ll be fine.
Yes, just stay somewhere affordable until you can get into staff accommodation. Occasionally a room will pop up in a house, available for a few weeks here and there. I have a lot of friends in Whistler and I often see them post stuff like this on Facebook, so I will keep an eye out and always post it here on the forums.
Can’t say I’ve done a season without my partner. I met her over in Whistler five years ago and we’ve been together ever since (getting married next month). Does your girlfriend have work commitments back home? Needless to say, she would have an awesome time over there if she can make it happen.
You might as well apply for your visa now with lots of time to spare. Once they issue the visa, you have up to 12 months to validate it at a port of entry. They don’t start counting the actual “work visa” until you enter the country. If you’re heading over in October, you might as well apply now.
EDIT: Looks like they’ve changed things for 2014. You will need to do some further research on the visas here: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/australia-australie/experience_canada_experience/index.aspx
$10,000 is more than enough, you’ll have more money than most Aussies heading over haha. You just have to be smart when you’re over there, don’t go out and blow money in clubs every night etc. It’s easy to get caught up in the party lifestyle in Whistler. Cook good food at home, go out when you want to etc. The key is spending 90% of your energy snowboarding. If you do that, you’ll be fine.
Yes, just stay somewhere affordable until you can get into staff accommodation. Occasionally a room will pop up in a house, available for a few weeks here and there. I have a lot of friends in Whistler and I often see them post stuff like this on Facebook, so I will keep an eye out and always post it here on the forums.
Can’t say I’ve done a season without my partner. I met her over in Whistler five years ago and we’ve been together ever since (getting married next month). Does your girlfriend have work commitments back home? Needless to say, she would have an awesome time over there if she can make it happen.
You might as well apply for your visa now with lots of time to spare. Once they issue the visa, you have up to 12 months to validate it at a port of entry. They don’t start counting the actual “work visa” until you enter the country. If you’re heading over in October, you might as well apply now.
EDIT: Looks like they’ve changed things for 2014. You will need to do some further research on the visas here: http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/australia-australie/experience_canada_experience/index.aspx
Haha yeah well I want to have “just in case money” plus my girlfriend and I are planning on holidaying around Canada for a month after the season. No I’m not going over there to party every night I mean I will go out sometimes but my main reason is for the work on the ski fields and to improve my boarding as much as I can.
Yeah well I got an email saying the WB job fair is at the end of September so I would have a long time before I started working so staying somewhere for that long won’t be cheap.
How successful are these job fairs? Do you have a high chance of getting a job if you head over at the right time? This would be my first time travelling alone and that’s why I really want to have a job before I go, just a bit worried I guess.
As for my girlfriend she will be doing her last year at uni this year, she will be coming over but not until the end of the season (about May) so that sucks. We are both planning on moving to Canada in the near future, she is an engineer and works for a company called Pepsieco so the plan is to try and get a transfer with the company and I just want to build my way up in the snow industry. So yeah that’s one of my main concerns getting there and not being able to be away from her for 7-8 months lol. I’ll just have to surround my self with amazing people
Oh it’s changed I printed my forms off in December so I better go back and check that before I send $150 off for nothing!
As always thanks for your help! Every bit of info you guys give me is just making it that much easier to plan my trip
How do you bloody register for a Kompass account? It say’s step one register for an account but then I can’t see a link or anything saying register and I can’t remember how I did it before -.-
Oooh applications for 2014 don’t open till Friday, don’t mind me I just didn’t read it properly
Hey leasha my wife and I are here for out first season and we came over with about $4000 between us and we are doing pretty good so I def think $10k would be sweet as.
I’ve heard from a few people that lifty jobs are the first to fill so make sure you get in as soon as you can with your application. Make sure you apply for staff housing as soon as you have an offer for a job too this year there has been a huge number of people asking for it with limited spaces and so there is a long waiting list.
Once you get here you won’t want to leave.
Sorry for the lack of posts lately guys.. We’ve been dealing with a lot of stuff injuries, illness, family dramas, etc.. But now we’re back!
Sarah has been progressing with leaps and bounds lately in her riding and it is boosting her confidence immensely. She’s got a ladies riding camp this weekend so I’m hoping that extra coaching will be a positive experience.
I haven’t been riding much lately just been too tired from work and conditions on my days off haven’t been great so been just chilling. Next week is heli boarding which is going to be sick with all the snow that is on the forecast! I’m determined to hit the park in the next week too no more putting that off.
All in all life here in this part of the world is freaking sweet!
She’s got a ladies riding camp this weekend so I’m hoping that extra coaching will be a positive experience.
I am excited by this news! Go Sarah!