Daan(24)

I had just graduated from sports academy in Haarlem with a CSIA Level 2 ski instructor certification. The Netherlands offers little perspective for someone who lives for winter sports. Whistler Blackcomb — North America's largest ski resort — was my dream. Through the IEC Working Holiday program I could work in Canada for up to two years. I applied to Whistler Blackcomb Snow School and was hired before I even landed.

Life in Whistler is unique. It's a resort town where almost everyone comes from somewhere else — Australians, British, Japanese and Dutch. Housing is the biggest problem: rent prices are absurdly high for a small mountain village. I shared a two-bedroom apartment with three others for CAD 900 per month per person. Staff housing through Whistler Blackcomb is available but limited — register early.

As a ski instructor you earn a base wage plus tips. In peak season (December-March) you work six days a week and earn well. The quiet periods are lean. Many people in Whistler have two or three jobs: skiing in winter, mountain biking, hiking guides or working in hospitality in summer. I started working as a mountain bike guide for a local company in summer.

The turning point was when Whistler Blackcomb offered to sponsor my LMIA. As a CSIA Level 3 instructor (I had completed my upgrade during my first season) I was valuable enough to justify the process. The LMIA was approved and I received a two-year work permit specifically for Whistler Blackcomb.

The community in Whistler is tight but transient — people come and go with the seasons. The ones who stay form a tight-knit group. I joined the Whistler Ski Club, competed in local freeride competitions and built a network in the Canadian outdoor industry. After two seasons I was approached by an outdoor adventure company in Squamish looking for a full-time operations manager.

Now I work full-time in Squamish, have my PR application running through BC PNP and live the life I could only dream of in Haarlem. Every morning I see the Stawamus Chief from my kitchen window. My advice: Whistler is a fantastic springboard, but think ahead. Build certifications, network and use seasonal life as a stepping stone to something permanent.