Welcome to the world of staff accommodation in Canada’s resort! If you’re thinking of embarking on a working holiday, where shared staff accommodation meets exciting job opportunities, you’re in for an experience like no other. Staff accommodation is a great way to meet new friends and share experiences, the real working holiday lifestyle in your new home! Let’s dive into what staff accommodation entails and how you can thrive sharing housing.
Working holiday staff accommodation or employee housing isn’t just a place to crash after a long day’s work; it’s a vibrant space, to share memories with new like-minded friends.
Let’s take a look at what you can expect:
Staff accommodation is a unique shared experience for working holidaymakers just like you! Staff Housing is only available for full-time employees, so you will be living with other staff members who work for your same employer!
The people you meet in staff accommodation are on the same journey as you. You will find internationals like you from any of the more than 35 IEC countries, but also Canadians! Did you know that many Canadians from the East Coast do this experience to also enjoy a ski season in one of Canada’s famous resorts on the West Coast? Our Hospitality Placement Manager, Rebecca, is a great example!
The best part? 95% of the people you will meet have travelled alone, that’s why making friends and meeting people is so easy when you get access to staff housing! Here is where your networking and community of friends will start, are you ready?Â
One of the defining features of staff accommodation is that you need to be ready to share living spaces with fellow staff members. Have you ever shared accommodation at a Hostel or during your time at University living at a Uni dorm? These would be real examples of similar settings that you will find when living in employee housing at a Canadian Ski Resort. What should you expect?Â
Shared Room:
Whether you’re bunking up with two or three roommates, shared bedrooms are a common feature of staff accommodation. It is very important to have this clear from the beginning, as employers want to make sure you are ok sharing. For that reason, it’s quite common that during your job interview, you will be asked: Have you shared a room before? Are you ok sharing a room with other staff members? They want to avoid any surprises when you move to staff housing.
Roommate Requests:
Have a friend or colleague tagged along for the adventure? Many employers allow residents to request roommates if they are travelling with their partner or with friends. While there’s no guarantee that your request will be granted, employers always try to do their best to accommodate requests. In the same way, you must be open to sharing with other people, as it gets tricky when an employer needs to provide housing for 400+ staff members.
Many times, even when it might not be possible at the beginning of your experience, you can always request to share a room with your friend or partner if any vacancy becomes available.
Matching roommatesÂ
If you are travelling alone, employers will always do their best to match roommates who are likely to enjoy one another’s company. For that reason, the staff housing team will normally request you to complete a form with personal information to try to match you with like-minded roommates!
Your housemates will form a big part of your experience in your working holiday accommodation, so get ready for an unforgettable experience!
When it comes to staff accommodation, no two setups are exactly alike. Each employer will offer different types of staff housing, however, there are a few common features that you can expect to find besides the shared room.
You’ll have shared facilities with others, such as a kitchen, Bathroom, Living Room, Laundry Room, and common social rooms, among others. You’ll have access to the kitchen so you can buy your own groceries to cook your own meals. This will allow you to connect with your housemates over shared meals or while having a drink together after work!
If you are planning a Working Holiday experience in Canada at a Resort location and you want to make sure you secure your employee housing, make sure to check out our Working Holiday programs! All our employers will secure staff housing when offering a role to our participants. If you are interested in how we can help you at Stepwest, feel free to book a free call with our team!
Your rent will depend on the location, the accommodation itself, how many roommates will be sharing with you, etc… The one important fact: you will always pay less, than if you try to find accommodation on your own.
Example: Staff Accommodation in Whistler will be more expensive (between CAD 600- CAD 1,000 approx.) than at Sun Peaks (CAD 400 – CAD 700 approx.) The reason behind this is just that one area is more expensive than the other.
Not all employers in Canada, but all the employers that we work with at Stepwest will offer staff accommodation to their full-time staff. Please note that employers will not offer staff housing for part-time roles.
Please note that staff accommodation will always be subject to availability.
Utilities such as electricity, hydro are normally included etc.. Sometimes Wifi/ Internet might not be included. No worries, you will be able to organize it with your roommates when you move in. Your employer will have a system in place for this.
Each staff housing will require different things for you to move in, but the most common are:Â bed linen, pillow, duvet, towels, utensils… Some employers offer a package for you to buy upon arrival.
Once you receive your Job Offer, you will receive all the important information you need to keep in mind before moving to staff accommodation. Plus our Travel Coordinators will know exactly what you need, so you can trust their advice!
Each Resort, no matter where you go, will be employing a big number of staff members, so they will have their own system to order Groceries (online), so you will never run out of food or supplies. Remember that you are heading to an area where people go on vacation, so everything will be accessible!
Some employers might have staff cafeteria, they will offer discounts at their restaurants and outlets, so you will be taken care of!
No, Resorts will have very set rules to move into staff accommodation. Specific dates and time frame. For that reason, after you receive an offer of employment our team will support you to organize your move to staff housing and get your confirmation by the staff Housing team at your host company!
If you are applying for your work permit under International Experience Canada (IEC), you'll need a Police Certificate. Answer all your questions here!
If you’re an Austrian looking to apply for a working holiday visa for Canada, but are finding the whole process confusing, you’ve come to the right place.