Work Travel Canada Visa in Toronto

NQDIT

Hiya, Im just posting this thred because I was looking to see if there is anybody that has been to Toronto for the summer on a Work Travel Visa with USIT.

I thinking of going to Toronto this summer with a group of 5 of my mates and was wondering is it worth forking out 380euro for this program and is it of any benifit? I was also wondering about accomadation over in Toronto,would it be easy to find accomadation for 5 people close to the centre of Toronto for 3 months?I think most apartments are only available for a year lease? Also,for anybody that has done this before, was it hard finding a job over there and what was the pay like? Your help would be much appreciated in trying to find out if it would be worth while going to Toronto in summer or would one of the American cities be better on a J1 visa!?

breadmonkey

NQDIT wrote:

I thinking of going to Toronto this summer with a group of 5 of my mates and was wondering is it worth forking out 380euro for this program and is it of any benifit?

Unless things have changed, this is the only way you can do it since you need the working visa.

I was also wondering about accomadation over in Toronto,would it be easy to find accomadation for 5 people close to the centre of Toronto for 3 months?

I stayed at this placehttp://www.ryerson.ca/home.html It's right in the centre of downtown Toronto and on the underground system. It would be the equivalent of living on Stephen's Green so we never had to get taxis anywhere. You can walk to anywhere in the downtown area. It's quite expensive though IIRC. There's another place nearby that you can stay but I don't have the name right now. I think "Ellis" is in the name so maybe google "Ellis Toronto" or something along those lines.

Also,for anybody that has done this before, was it hard finding a job over there and what was the pay like? Your help would be much appreciated in trying to find out if it would be worth while going to Toronto in summer or would one of the American cities be better on a J1 visa!?

Getting work was hard enough but it's there and you could probably prearrange it. I can give you a few places to try if you like. I worked as an ice cream man for about 3 weeks and then I quit that and worked doing general slavery for a sub contractor. Both wre pretty sh!tty pay but I worked until I had enough money to last me and quit at the beginning of August which meant I could just have a nonstop party for a month (not to say that the previous 2 months hadn't already been ).

Anyway, Toronto is class and if you aren't 21 Canada is definitely the way to go!

PS. Sorry for the appalling structure/grammar etc, I'm extremely hungover.

Innervision

Me & 4 friends are heading to Toronto this summer too, looked up accommodation and there seems to be a lot of good places on offer, just not sure bout the leases like you said. Out of interest how much spending money are you planning on bringing?!

breadmonkey

Be aware that whatever money you bring you will spend! I took out a big loan because I thought that I had to pay off my accomodation at the beginning. Ended up blowing the lot but it was well worth it!

NQDIT

Ye like most of us are 19 or 20 and in college, thats one the main reasons why we decided on Toronto because much easier to drink over there instead of in the States, plus the culture over there is very similar anyway and its a huge city. I was told that if u have any bar or waiter experience its very easy gettin jobs?

All five of us got the Visa's today,far as I know it sold out in an hour! As for spending money,gonna try work up a good bit after having paid for flights and insurance etc. Hoping to live on $150 week apart from rent,and then bit of extra money for the last 3 weeks when wer not working, meant to be renting a camper van and doing other different things so could be expensive. Worst comes to worst il jus take out a two grand loan maybe and pay it back when get home!

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

i was in canada last year, not toronto.. further east but it was amazing. spent loads of money though... never had a credit card before I went over. discipline was.. difficult

NQDIT

Ye have a laser card but gonna try get a credit card coz be handier over there!!

Does anybody know about the flights??

Does the flights have to be booked through usit or can i simply just book my own flights over coz it works out way cheaper if u book through air transat

Mini_Moose

just as a matter of interest does anyone know how many visas are available? i registered within a couple minutes of it opening so im not too worried about not getting one but i was just curious.

Innervision

NQDIT wrote:

Does the flights have to be booked through usit or can i simply just book my own flights over coz it works out way cheaper if u book through air transat

Nope, you have to book them through USIT if you get their Visa. Annoying cos they rip you off apparently!

malinh

are you still able to apply or are they closed now?

breadmonkey

Yes you have to buy them through USIT. I got raped. I paid about E700 for them and 3 of my mates came over for 3 weeks in July/August (i.e. peak season) and they got flights for E400. Rediculous indeed but that's probably for another thread.

Also, don't make the mistake one of my mates made and book flights to the wrong part of Canada. They won't refund you!!

Innervision

NQDIT, have you got you confirmation e-mail and all? I applied at about 10.05 and I know it says to wait 48 hours for your confirmation e-mail but still getting a bit worried!!

NQDIT

Innervision wrote:

NQDIT, have you got you confirmation e-mail and all? I applied at about 10.05 and I know it says to wait 48 hours for your confirmation e-mail but still getting a bit worried!!

Ye got mine today, delighted,all my mates got theirs aswel!! I was like 18th person to apply tho i think,d registration opened for me at like 3 mins to 10,when it only opened at ten for rest of my mates...strange!!

Have only 5 days to get d application forms into USIT tho,along with passport photos and photocopy of ur passport, and stamped by ur college.

Innervision

Yeah I got mine this morning too, my friends got theirs except for one, she has to wait for the non-student one. Gonna try and get that form signed by college today & get all those forms done and over with!

NQDIT

The friend of yours who didnt get accepted,what time did she apply at?

malinh

is it still worthwhile applyin or are all the visas pretty much allocated

Innervision

NQDIT wrote:

The friend of yours who didnt get accepted,what time did she apply at?

She didn't apply, she's just not a student!

Alkers

Anyone know of a decent map of Vancouver. Looking to sort out accomodation and I want to know what areas are decent for nightlife etc before we start booking anything. Cheers

CiaranC

Anyone heard back from the non-student under35 visas yet?

Innervision

Yep, my friend got hers

breadmonkey

Simona1986 wrote:

Anyone know of a decent map of Vancouver. Looking to sort out accomodation and I want to know what areas are decent for nightlife etc before we start booking anything. Cheers

Get one of those lonely planet best of Vancouver thingys. You'll get a good map which will also be extremely useful once you get there. It really was very handing having a good map stuck to the wall.