InterExchange Work & Travel Canada

I decided to take a Gap year after graduating college and It was one of the best decisions I could have made! I reached out to InterExchange and throughout the whole process Melissa H. assisted me with everything I needed to know. She was extremely helpful,provided plenty of great resources, quick to respond, and very friendly! She really helped the whole process run smoother and I am so grateful for her assistance. When I arrived to Canada I received help from Amber at SWAP Toronto and she was also extremely helpful! One of the things I liked was how there was a Facebook page and newsletter emailed to us that kept travelers updated on events,job openings,housing and any other useful information. I ended up working in Muskoka in the summer through a job agency that provided decent housing. It was such a beautiful and amazing location! I met so many friends from around the world and learned about their cultures..which is exactly what I wanted to do while being out in Canada. I had so many new and exciting experiences, being out on the beautiful lakes canoeing, camping, and parties! I was also able to make some trips to Toronto and Niagara Falls with my new friends. I like how InterExchange allows you apply again for another year. I recommend bringing a car if you can if your living in the middle of nowhere like Muskoka- that's how I survived. Another benefit to this program is how I now have work experience in another country ;). I would not have been able to make this happen without the support and guidance of these programs and my family!! Even though I was only living and working in Canada for a few months,it turned out to be one of the best experiences that I'll forever remember!

I always knew that Canada was a beautiful place. And I was amazed to see everything through my own eyes and not from a screen or a book. When I came here I experienced snow for the first time. After a year, I'll know what season are. Living in Vancouver is like living with the rest of the world together. I've never seen so many cultures all in one place. I like Vancouver so much, I might think about moving here permanently. But first, there is a whole country I need to see before I make that kind of decision.

I have done the Work and Travel in Canada program twice and have totally loved it. While traveling throughout Canada, I was able to be completely independent, however, I always knew I had a network of resources whenever I had questions that I could rely on. The Toronto office SWAP staff were incredibly welcoming and were very helpful when I needed assistance finding housing downtown. I am really happy I discovered this program and was able to experience all that Canada has to offer! :)

I moved to Toronto in May 2016 two days after completing my undergraduate degree.

My first job was being boat deckhand on Lake Ontario, where I got to see the Toronto skyline from the water nearly every day. Through this job I met people from all over the world, as many of my coworkers were also on working holiday visas. In early fall I spent my days outdoors taking in the fresh air while providing maintenance to a golf course. During the holiday season I worked in sales at Lush Cosmetics with a lot of really cool people. Right now I am employed as an ice skating instructor at an outdoor rink at the Toronto Harbourfront - I get to watch the planes fly into the islands while taking in the beautiful skyline. :)

InterExchange is amazing and there to assist every step of the way during the application process and after. I seriously can't say enough good things about them! The hosting center here (SWAP) is equally as awesome. They will help you find housing, a job, and have regular social events for you to meet and hang out with other swappers. Additionally, the staff is incredibly friendly and really make you feel like you have a home away from home.

I've enjoyed Canada so much that I am currently in the process of applying for a second visa! My highlights here have included (but are definitely not limited to) being feet away from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at Pride, exploring Nuit Blanche (an overnight event where the city is transformed into an artistic playground), and a whirlwind trip to Montreal where I hiked up Mount Royal. I'm planning on spending another summer in Toronto (because summer in this city is AMAZING) and then hoping to work on somewhere up north in the winter so I can see the northern lights. Or I might apply to work at a ski resort out west. There are so many options!

I would recommend this program to anyone, but especially to someone who wants to travel and explore but is nervous about being far from home. I feel comforted knowing that in an emergency I can take a bus to my family for less than $100.

Work and Travel Canada has changed my life. I've learned that you don't have to go far to live with a travel mindset - it's all about getting out of your comfort zone and taking chances. I've loved exploring Toronto (it's such an interesting and multicultural city) and I've made friends from all over the world. I can't wait to see what more adventures are in store. I'm so thankful for this program!

I applied with Interexchange to get a visa work at an arts camp I had gone to as a camper. It's so expensive and confusing to go through traditional routes for my employer and me. This program made it so simple! The staff were quick to respond and willing to answer all my questions. Thanks to them, I was able to get my visa in practically no time. I'll be applying again with them for next summer.

I arrived in Toronto, Ontario, in May 2016, two days after graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in integrative physiology. Upon my arrival, I was given my open work permit that I had acquired through the program. My initial plan was to spend time in the Muskoka area at my friend's cottage on Lake Muskoka, where I expected to work a seasonal job at a golf course as a chef. Although the opportunity existed, I was not entirely attached to the job- I was thinking bigger.

Canada's healthcare system is one that intrigues me. Two things struck me negatively: Wait times to see physicians and specialists was much too long, sometimes scheduling months out; Patients of rural areas in Ontario had limited access, or no access to healthcare. With this in mind, I was curious to know if I could impact patient's and healthcare professional's outcome in the Canadian healthcare system.

Within one month of my arrival, I was hired on a one year contract by Ontario Telemedicine Network, where I have taken on the role of implementing Telemedicine into physician's and specialist's practice, as well as developing effective Telemedicine programs to enable physicians and specialists to provide healthcare to rural patients in Ontario. I have developed cardiology, dermatology, mental health, and wound care programs that have provided patients with healthcare in days, not months.

As I near the end of my contract at Ontario Telemedicine Network, and plan to apply for another open work permit through this program, I recognize that I have gained valuable experience and have made a lasting impact in Ontario's healthcare system. My next big idea as I experience Canada- medical device and emergency education sales, to impact the way ordinary people can save lives.

Oh yeah, and I got a puppy...

So, think... How might you want to experience Canada? ... and think big. Everyone is capable.