Working in Vancouver?

Question

I applied for a workers Visa for Canada about 8 weeks ago in Ireland and was told that everything was ok and I would have it in time for leaving on the first of June. Today however I got a call off the farse of a company that organizes visas in Ireland to inform me that there was a backlog in the system and if I still wanted my Visa I would have to wait until August. Needless to say the money was non-refundable. Not only that but I have already paid for Flights and 1months Accommodation. I am wondering if there is any way that anybody could help me get a job so that this trip could still be a possibility.

Answer 1

I'm not sure how you'd go about doing that, and if caught working without a visa, you risk getting deported. If deported, other countries can deny you entering their countries for holidays, etc.

One thing you could do, something I've done a bunch in the past, and you don't need a visa for it. Is to do a volunteer work exchange on organic farms in the area. The organization which does this is called WWOOF (www.wwoof.ca) and many farms will have you work 4 or 5 hours a day and then give you room and board. (You do need to clarify with the host ahead of time the working hours as some places ask for more.) I like travelling and seeing new places this way as you don't need to have a bunch of money saved up, and you get to have a lot of time to see the area you're in, without working too much. You also get to stay with locals which can add to the experience.

Even though it's legal, some border guards are unsure of the relatively new guidelines which make volunteering legal in Canada. So best to be quiet about it when going through customs.

Good luck. PM me if you have more questions.