Travel and vacations aren't exactly cheap. It gets really expensive when you want to get to know faraway countries and have to fly there. So you either save up for a long time or you use one of the many Work and Travel programs. Work and Travel programs work exactly the way the name says: you work and take a vacation at the same time. You get the chance to gain experience abroad and earn a little money on the side, too. You can broaden your horizons in a special way and learn a lot about yourself along the way.

Work and Travel Programs - Requirements for Work and Travel

In principle, Work and Travel is possible in any country. The current favorites are Australia, New Zealand and Canada. If you go through an agency, then in addition to the requirements the country itself imposes, such as a certain age, state of health, etc., you must be able to show a financial cushion. This is meant to make sure the traveler can buy a return ticket at any time.

work and travel programs

The amount differs from country to country. In the case of Australia it can be up to about $3,800 (€3,500).
For most countries you need a so-called Working Holiday visa (WHV). With it you can travel through the country for up to a year and pick up jobs on the side.

Work and Travel Programs - What Are Typical Jobs?

The job offers vary by country and range from general positions to country-specific ones.
The jobs are usually designed for unskilled workers and are therefore more physically demanding than mentally demanding.
That is why the typical job options are the following:

  • Cook
  • Server
  • Tour guide
  • Language teacher, ski or snowboard instructor
  • Entertainer
  • Farm worker (especially seasonal work, harvest helper, fruit picker)
  • Construction site helper
  • Lawn mowing
  • Phone operator (call center)
  • Bagger (supermarket)
work and travel programs

Work and Travel Programs - What Are the Benefits?

Besides the fact that this lets you finance your vacation faster, this model offers several other benefits. For one, you can learn very quickly about the country and its people, their culture and their outlook on life. And you get it unfiltered, from people away from the tourist trail. So you get to know the country, the people and their language in a way you never could on a "standard vacation."

You should also consider whether to hire an agency to plan the trip or to handle everything yourself. If you do it yourself, you can save costs, but you need disproportionately more time. For one thing, you have to plan the different stays, find the jobs, or in some cases apply from home, and then of course work through all the bureaucratic requirements and rules. Most agencies, however, also let you hire them for just certain parts, such as the visa, and take care of the rest yourself.