BUNAC: Work in Canada

I was so lucky to be able to use this program to experience life in Canada for 18 months! I worked with Lubka Jacobs to coordinate my visa, who was incredibly responsive and helpful every time I reached out to her. After traveling for 3 months throughout 4 different provinces, I chose to work in Montreal for the unique & fascinating culture. I had originally planned to live in Vancouver because of the incredible scenery, but ended up choosing Montreal after falling in love with the romantic architecture, the young & urban vibe, and the fact that almost everyone in the city is bilingual!

Don't let people tell you you can't live in Montreal without speaking French! There is a thriving Anglophone community here and there are plenty of job opportunities for both English-only and bilingual speakers. I worked as an English/Spanish bilingual debt collector, an En/Sp bilingual travel agent for a start up app, and an engineering technical drawer for an architectural lighting company during my time in Montreal. The work I did here improved my Spanish immensely and also allowed me to gain experience towards my career.

I was able to live a very urban lifestyle right downtown and took the Metro to get around the city (I rarely even took Uber because the Metro system is so easy and efficient!). I took French classes for a couple months et maintenant je peux parler, lire, et écrire un peu français :) Montreal is one of the most multicultural cities in the world and I have had the pleasure of working with people from all over the world: Ghana, Iraq, Mexico, Iran, Argentina, Egypt, China, Venezuela, the UK, Cameroon, the Philippines, France, Nigeria, Russia, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Guinea, and the list goes on - as well as from all over the US and Canada! Due to the incredible diversity, Montreal is a Foodie's dream city; you will never run out of new restaurants and cafes to try and you will never tire of poutine avec viande fumée! Montreal is in a great location so during my time living here I've also been able to easily visit New York, Maine, & Vermont. A note on the weather: I am from Georgia, so I'd never experienced real winters prior to living in Canada, and I loved it! Winter was beautiful and so much fun; even when it's freezing there are always people out and about skiing, ice skating, etc. If you're looking for a North American experience with a European twist that you cannot find anywhere else, come check out la belle province.

My position was unique as I was seeking to finish my final internship in order to complete my Master's in Social Work at Florida State University in Vancouver, Canada. I worked with Lubka Jacobs at BUNAC, who provided me excellent advice and recommendations in getting my work visa for Canada. She and all the staff I dealt with are extremely knowledgeable and helpful. The help documentation that they provide is very user friendly and to the point.

BUNACs prices are better than the other similar service providers and having this opportunity led me to getting a job in clinical counselling after finishing my internship!

There are lots of opportunities for jobs in Vancouver. My one recommendation would be to start looking for jobs and making connections before you arrive so that you are able to maximize your time in Canada upon arrival.