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Best way of getting a job overseas?

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--ski--
Posts: 1670 - Karma: 817
I have skied overseas several times but have never worked. What would be the best way of trying to get a job as a liftie or something on a european field eg france italy or switzerland. I live in New Zealand but can possibly get a british passport which will make shit easier. Any help would be hugely appreciated. Cheers.
Jul 19 2010 5:25PM
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Furrer92
Posts: 784 - Karma: 341
Well if you get a British citizenship I'm pretty sure that you can legally work anywhere in the EU, my dads Swiss so I'm getting my duel citizenship and then yah I'm pretty sure if you get that your gold, otherwise you'll need to get a work visa.
Jul 19 2010 5:32PM
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Morginsfreeski
Posts: 129 - Karma: 10
remember switzerland is not actually in the EU, something to think about...
Jul 19 2010 6:32PM
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StuntCok
Posts: 125 - Karma: 22
New Zealand has work holiday visa agreements with a number of countries. I don't know which, exactly but you can check. The standard is pretty easy as you don't need a job before you go. A British passport would let you work anywhere in the EU.
Jul 19 2010 6:49PM
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Furrer92
Posts: 784 - Karma: 341
However Switzerland is part of the Schengen Agreement which encompasses the vast majority of Europe and I'm pretty sure it allows free travel with a valid countries passport
Jul 19 2010 6:55PM
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Mike-O
Posts: 14593 - Karma: 1,089
Schengen means you can even travel WITHOUT a passport if you're a EU citizen. Good luck anyway.
Jul 19 2010 7:02PM
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nickyp
Posts: 5673 - Karma: 215
This correct, Switzerland has an open border to all EU nationals, which also applies the freedom to work.

But seriously, because of immigration from the rest of the EU, foreign nationals have a hard time getting work visas for EU countries. Over here, most of my foreign friends from uni will be sent home after they graduate, even those from the US and Canada

Get a British passport, shit is so cash. I'll even marry you for a small fee
Jul 19 2010 7:03PM
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Furrer92
Posts: 784 - Karma: 341
Yah my mistake, I meant citizenship
Jul 19 2010 7:26PM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
Being a lifty will be hard in Europe as you would need to be fluent in the language of the country you were in. Working in a chalet or something like that is so easy with a Brit passport though, check out www.natives.co.uk for info on working seasons.

You could get a working holiday visa for Canada and do a ton of jobs, also Japan has working holiday visas, I work there and it's fucking dope, a  bunch of people just turn up with a bit of saving and get jobs, you can also check www.bigplanetplacements.com for jobs all over the place.
Jul 19 2010 7:27PM
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molsongolden
Posts: 1649 - Karma: 162
google for awhile, there are a ton of sites listing resort jobs.

look into getting the passport, it will help x1million. It's almost impossible to get a work visa since most companies require you to have one before applying for a job and you can't get a work visa unless you have a job and are sponsored by your employer. I'm locking down italian dual-citizenship at the moment,

Worst case scenario, you go there and bum working under the table until your time runs out. I'm not sure about NZ but with an american passport we can go for 3 months without a visa then we have to leave.

Look for ex-pat online forums for the country you are looking to work in and start asking around there. If you can make some contacts on the ground you might have a better chance of finding under the table work. Check/post on local classifieds websites. Some have one-time or temporary jobs that they'll pay you cash for doing.

best of luck
Jul 20 2010 12:24PM
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TLTQ
Posts: 525 - Karma: 29

Look into Canada. Theres a lot  aussies and kiwis who come over and dont have any trouble working. Well at least they can get jobs at ski hills no problem. I know Canada Olympic Park will higher a lot of people from across the drink. Big White, in BC has more aussis/kiwis than they do Canadians, so if you want to work at a ski resort and have it all paid for, then deffs look up Canada.

Google search these places and check them out if your interested.

Canada Olypic Park

Sunshine Village

Lake Louise

Big White Ski Resort

Silver Star

Whistler

White Water

Theres probably a lot more but thats all I can think of. Good luck!

Jul 20 2010 12:41PM
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--ski--
Posts: 1670 - Karma: 817
sweet as thanks to everyone. huge help!
Jul 20 2010 7:15PM
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keith_tuan
Posts: 57 - Karma: 11
I know this might not be relevant but i noticed that you live in New Zealand. I currently live in the US (EAST COAST) and im a instructor and i've been looking into working in New Zealand. Would you have any knowledge on teaching in new zealand. or even what mountains are most populated/popular and least popular. thanks
Jul 20 2010 7:43PM
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hokkanee
Posts: 1800 - Karma: 435
Know the native language wherever you go
Jul 20 2010 9:57PM
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cobra_commander
Posts: 16909 - Karma: 4,684
http://www.army.mil.nz/careers/

Jul 20 2010 10:50PM
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freestyler540
Posts: 13106 - Karma: 18,904
I would suggest apply online to anything in the region your planning to stay in. If you love ski this much, you will flip burgers full time just to get by. A friend of mine spend summers as an ice cream man to play to live in whistler.

My next tip is know people. Try to be friendly to the tourists, they always have connections. Try to get a hold of people online, friends are essential when your down there. I would use the regional forms to talk to locals...they could even provide you a place to stay!

When you send CVs, send a cover letter. Most businesses turn down foreigners, but if you serious about it, they will consider. Dont forget the work visa.

Last tip, plan EVERYTHING down to the last detail. That includes plane tickets back. It insures your safe return. The more planning you do at home, the less you have to deal with over there. Dont forget socks and underwear, they seem to disappear awfully quickly!


Jul 20 2010 10:58PM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
I instruct in NZ, what do you need to know?
Jul 21 2010 3:30AM
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DHogg
Posts: 3462 - Karma: 237
Best mountains to teach at would probably be Cardrona or Coronet Peak. You get pretty solid work right through the season at both. Remarkables wouldn't be bad either.

Cardrona and Snowpark have the best parks but other than that they're nothing special.

Treble Cone is the best mainstream resort for big mtn/powder/good terrain skiing. It's also the biggest mtn in the South Island. It also has a ski school, but not as big as the others I mentioned above.

The club fields around Canterbury also have sick skiing, but no ski schools to speak of.

You want to be living in Wanaka or Queenstown depending on where you work.
Jul 21 2010 4:25AM
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LockyK
Posts: 404 - Karma: 16
i'm in aus (which is like NZ) and when it comes to applying online i either do it via the net or through the resort i employeed by down here.

but defs think about canada, most of the resorts in BC have sister resorts in the southern hemisphere, for example, Big White is owned by the same company that ows Mt Hotham so they hire heaps of aussies and kiwis there (hence why you will barely see a canadian haha0

also, google Big PLanet PLacements. they post jobs overseas and stuff in resorts. always worth checking out.

just keep searching and applying, and dont be afraid to get people to hook you up.
Jul 21 2010 6:25AM
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jibbpeter
Posts: 1613 - Karma: 4,083
sell yourself to elder females
Jul 21 2010 9:08AM
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onenerdykid
Posts: 6673 - Karma: 10,972
Super true.  I just moved to Austria from the USA and I basically had to have the job lined up in order to get a work visa.  In Europe's current economy, countries are really not looking to give their available jobs to foreigners.  So in order to secure a job over there, you really have to have your prospects lined up ahead of time otherwise it will almost be impossible. Try to make as many connections as you can before heading over there hoping to find work.  Good luck!
Jul 21 2010 10:08AM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
Haha, Aus is like NZ, just without any snow, or mountains ;)
Jul 22 2010 1:35AM
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Profpimpcain
Posts: 395 - Karma: 62
I am an American instructor/coach. I applied at cardrona but didn't stand a chance for hire since this was only my second year of teaching anxious don't have really high certifications. do Any resorts that you know of have a high need for park certified instructors?
Jul 22 2010 9:15AM
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Rosbif
Posts: 2543 - Karma: 930
If it's only your second season instructing, your best chance of getting a job down here would be to get a working holiday visa, then come a do a hiring clinic, it's kind of like a skiing interview, it's a bit risky, as you may not get the job, but worst case scenario you'd just have to get another job doing something else.

Cardrona probably has the highest percentage of park instructors (apart from Snowpark, which isn't really a proper ski school), but the easiest ski school out the Qtown/Wanaka resorts (ie the good ones) to get a job in is probably Treble Cone.

If you don't fancy risking the casual hire, get your level 3 and try and meet a supervisor who works down here, that seems the only guaranteed way of doing it, a bunch of my friends who have their level 3 didn't get jobs here this year applying the normal way.
Jul 23 2010 5:54AM
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