Under 35 working programme for Canada

keltoms

Hi,
Me and a couple of friends are thinking about going over to canada next May for either the summer or the whole year. Were not students so cant get a J1, i was on the usit website there and there is a programme for under 35's to go over and work. Has anyone ever got one of these visas?? Are they hard to get??and does anyone know when the application for 2007 visa is open???

mrsmagoo

keltoms wrote:

Hi,
Has anyone ever got one of these visas?? Are they hard to get??and does anyone know when the application for 2007 visa is open???

Yes. I got one and am about to head for a year in just a few weeks' time.
They are no way near as hard to get as a visa to the States. And there is nearly no paperwork in comparison.

The USIT Under 35 Visas go out at the start of February. I applied last Feb but didn't get it. So you have to get in there early. However I was put 27th on the waiting list and got offered it in early May.

So I snapped it up and off I go!
Good luck!

keltoms

mrsmagoo wrote:

Yes. I got one and am about to head for a year in just a few weeks' time.
They are no way near as hard to get as a visa to the States. And there is nearly no paperwork in comparison.

The USIT Under 35 Visas go out at the start of February. I applied last Feb but didn't get it. So you have to get in there early. However I was put 27th on the waiting list and got offered it in early May.

So I snapped it up and off I go!
Good luck!

Cool thanks, u have to apply online dont u?? that the only way of applying like yeah??

Cheers

mrsmagoo

Online all the way.

Go to the usit website in January to check the opening date of the visa. I reckon if you apply on the day it opens you will most likely get the visa straight away.

Once you have applied online USIT don't really want to hear from you. They even say on the website that all correspondence has to be done through email.

They will only talk to you in person when you ring to book your flight (btw, you have to book your flight through USIT and they very nearly corner you into buying there insurance too). In total - visa, flight and insurance it cost me €1,700 (visa €400, insurance near to €500 and flight ~€800)

keltoms

cool thanks mrs magoo

nellocon

Are you serious??? Insurance cost you about €500...thats crazy..i was thinking about canada but with my budget..i think not...i thought insurance would be bout 100 euros max...

mrsmagoo

Yep Nellocon I'm afraid that's how dear it is!

The continent of North America is probably the worst place to get insured for. USIT say you can try get cheaper insurance from another company but they set ridiculous guidelines that must be met.. so it ended up at something like €470 including Winter Sports Cover.

It is exorbetant but I thought the flight would be more expensive and I'd prefer to have proper cover... I wouldn't let the price of the insurance stop you from going on the trip of a life time;)

Rabies

nellocon wrote:

Are you serious??? Insurance cost you about €500...thats crazy..i was thinking about canada but with my budget..i think not...i thought insurance would be bout 100 euros max...

E500 is crazy.
My insurance to go to NZ for the year was E100, got it reduced to E60because I have my own health insurance.

This covered flights, baggage, health, hospital and all activities from the grade one risk list. And that still included cover for horseback riding, scuba diving (30m), absailing and loads more.

My insurance was through my travel agent and underwritten by AXA.

jjbrien

I did the USIT Canada progamme last year and it was the best year of my life. A word of warning of you can do the solo option as Usit will rip you off big time on flights. Y ou can get very cheap charter flights year round out of Belfast and in the summer from Dublin. Check out www.flyzoom.com and http://www.globespan.com/IRE/index.asp?lan=IR dont let Usit rip you off.

mrsmagoo

jjbrien wrote:

A word of warning of you can do the solo option as Usit will rip you off big time on flights. www.flyzoom.com and http://www.globespan.com/IRE/index.asp?lan=IR dont let Usit rip you off.

Sorry to contradict you but you can only buy flights from USIT if you get any kind of USIT visa. That's how they make their money.

You have a choice of a Classic or Solo package (Solo only means that you can travel to any city in Canada rather than the 3 gateway cities)
It's a pity but there's no other way to do it.

And I just checked my insurance price... it was a whopping €521!!

Here's the info from their site:

The following is a guide to the costs involved in the Work Canada Under 35 Programme

Programme Fee : Payable at time of registration via Mastercard, Visa or Laser

Classic Option - €379 – Includes first night’s accommodation in a hostel and a bus transfer voucher provided you travel into Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal.

Solo Option - €359 - Does not include the above, but allows you the freedom to arrive into any city in Canada and avail of a postal orientation.
NB! Flights and insurance are not included in the above price - please see below for details.


Flights : Varies depending on arrival city and travel period. For an estimate please see the Flights section of www.usit.ie and for payment details, please see FAQS for further information.

NB! You must purchase return flights through USIT’s Call Centre, you may not book flights via the USIT online booking engine.


Insurance : Rates vary depending of length of stay and level of cover. Prices from €127. See www.usit.ie for details and FAQS for further information
NB! Flights and insurance must be booked approximately 3 weeks before departure.
All participants must book and pay in full for their flights and insurance no later than the 15 September 2006.

jjbrien

mrsmagoo wrote:

Sorry to contradict you but you can only buy flights from USIT if you get any kind of USIT visa. That's how they make their money.

You have a choice of a Classic or Solo package (Solo only means that you can travel to any city in Canada rather than the 3 gateway cities)
It's a pity but there's no other way to do it.

And I just checked my insurance price... it was a whopping €521!!

Here's the info from their site:

The following is a guide to the costs involved in the Work Canada Under 35 Programme

Programme Fee : Payable at time of registration via Mastercard, Visa or Laser

Classic Option - €379 – Includes first night’s accommodation in a hostel and a bus transfer voucher provided you travel into Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal.

Solo Option - €359 - Does not include the above, but allows you the freedom to arrive into any city in Canada and avail of a postal orientation.
NB! Flights and insurance are not included in the above price - please see below for details.


Flights : Varies depending on arrival city and travel period. For an estimate please see the Flights section of www.usit.ie and for payment details, please see FAQS for further information.

NB! You must purchase return flights through USIT’s Call Centre, you may not book flights via the USIT online booking engine.


Insurance : Rates vary depending of length of stay and level of cover. Prices from €127. See www.usit.ie for details and FAQS for further information
NB! Flights and insurance must be booked approximately 3 weeks before departure.
All participants must book and pay in full for their flights and insurance no later than the 15 September 2006.

I will have to say your are totally wrong mate when i got to Canada i worked for the company who runs swap so I have intamate inside information. You can buy insurance elsewhere but since usit has put very strict contions in their policy it is inpossible to get a company who will cover these coditions. Simply usit make it very difficult to buy flights and insurance elsewhere. But it is not a Canadian govement contion it is a Usit thing. Usit has changed it contions since i when and you do need to book a flight with them but try to get them to put ypu on zoom as it will save you loads.

Kitten23

I didnt realise booking a visa would be so expensive with USIT. Has anyone gotten a working holiday visa with any other company that wouldnt cost nearly €2000. Its a lot of money to spend before you even get there.

keltoms

Kitten23 wrote:

I didnt realise booking a visa would be so expensive with USIT. Has anyone gotten a working holiday visa with any other company that wouldnt cost nearly €2000. Its a lot of money to spend before you even get there.

ye that insurance seems like an awful lot alright!! do u have to get the insurance?? is it like a legal thing that u have to have it before going to canada???

mrsmagoo

I don't think it's a 'legal' thing it's a USIT thing.
Tht only law you have to abide by is the USIT law.

The previous post from JJBrien honestly confused me because from my dealings with USIT over the past year they iterated and re-iterated that you must buy Flights with them There is no option on a USIT visa to buy flights anywhere else but through USIT.

Yes, you have to buy insurance.As mentioned, they make it nearly impossible for you to buy insurance anywhere else but USIT.
But it is North America that we're talking about. The most messed up place for medical expenses and cover. So if you want a year's cover there then you have to pay.

I wouldn't let it stop you from going though.

lost_for_words

Have to agree with mrsagoo on the whole flight/insurance thing.

I'm leaving in 2 weeks and throughout all my dealings with USIT it has been stressed that you can ONLY get flights through them, I suppose it's where they really make their profit. I asked if I could source my own flights but they said it was part of their terms and conditions to get them through USIT.

As with the insurance they make it practically impossible to get it with anyone else. The way it goes is that technically you can get insurance with another company but it has to match exactly with the conditions of the USIT insurance which they aren't entirely forthcoming with. I have heard of people buying insurance elsewhere and then USIT refusing it so that they had to go buy the USIT one anyway.

Despite all the expense I can't wait to go!!

Our man in Havana

Is there anyway of avoiding those usit gangsters? Can you apply direct to the embassy?

keltoms

Bond-007 wrote:

Is there anyway of avoiding those usit gangsters? Can you apply direct to the embassy?

dont have a clue mate, do anyone know what date the applications open in 2007?? is it the start of january or the end?? because i heard that they get snapped up fairly quick!:(

littlejp

Just a quick question for anyone that has gone to Canada. How much cash do you think is enough to leave with?

d-redser

keltoms wrote:

dont have a clue mate, do anyone know what date the applications open in 2007?? is it the start of january or the end?? because i heard that they get snapped up fairly quick!:(

The Under 35 Non Student opens at 10am on the 16th January. Quite early this year!

I am really interested in doing this but as its so early, I might not get the chance.

MrsMagoo, are you doing this on your own???

mrsmagoo

MrsMagoo, are you doing this on your own???

D-Redser, yep I'm doing this on my own!! I got here to Vancouver last Friday and I have barely been on my own since. They say you meet people.. and by god do you meet people!! I'm actually trying to avoid Irish people... there are so many here. Then Aussies and English.

Why would you be put off by the opening date? Why is it too early? You only have to buy the visa then and you can wait til Dec 31st to depart the country. Thats what I did. Plenty of time to save.
If you want anymore details just let me know.

Canada rocks. I love it here!!!

Charlie

If you're looking for cheap accomadtion check out the East Hastings area. Great views and a fantastic mix of great people. Just don't walk barefoot .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_Eastside

UBC 4 life!

Peachy_babe

HI there,

me and my boyf are currently 2 months into this work visa. we applied in april of last year and it took about 2½ months to come through. in total including visas, health insurance, flights and a 1 night stay in a hostel when we got here plus an orientation day it cost about 3000 euros for us both. if you have any other questions you can email me @ aineir2000@hotmail.com

Alkers

Can you get cheaper insurance if you're not going for 12months?