Finding international vacation work

University vacation periods are a good time to earn money and gain experience, Christmas, Easter and summer provide blocks of a few weeks when you can work or volunteer full time. There are plenty of options outside the and offered by some large recruiters. Even if it is not related to your degree or future career, vacation work is excellent for developing transferable skills which employers want: team working, initiative, problem solving, communication skills and others.

Checklist

  • Have you decided what country (and city or region) you want to go to?
  • Do you speak a language and want to use it?
  • Are you looking to learn a language? Summer language schools may be an option. Look out for organisations like Language Courses Abroad.
  • Do you know what type of experience / job you are looking for? This will help you target your search more effectively.
  • Do you need a visa?

Examples of work you could do

  • Working at a children's summer activity camp.
  • Hotels & holiday parks may all need staff for busy vacation periods - check their websites or ring up and ask.
  • Tourism, ski seasons & summer resort jobs.
  • Agricultural work, fruit picking etc.
  • Work in shops, bars and local businesses may be easier to find once you are in the country. However, you must have the correct visa before looking for work.

See also

Find opportunities

Some opportunities will be advertised early in the year and others as they come up. It's worth planning in advance if you want to work on a particular event or summer scheme as they are likely to recruit earlier than an organisation looking for last minute cover for staff taking holidays.

There are lots of websites listing vacation opportunities and jobs for students - just be cautious, check they are legitimate jobs and that you will be safe.

Going back home? Check local papers and ask your family to look out for you.