Work and Study in Canada
International Gateway Kelowna offers a variety of internship, volunteer and work and study options in the world famous resort city of Kelowna, Canada.
Internship Program
This program is designed for students who would like to gain work experience in a Canadian company and in an English speaking environment. The internship is unpaid and must be combined with an equal amount of full time study. Placements are available in a variety of fields such as: Recreation, Community Organizations, Education, Sports, Tourism and Entertainment. Students receive a certificate and letter of recommendation upon completion. Open to Intermediate to Advanced level students with Visitor, Student or Working Holiday Visas.
Program Length - 2, 4, 8 or 12 weeks. Internships begin weekly for ages 19 and up.
Volunteer Program
This program is designed for students visiting Kelowna for a short period of time who would like to volunteer in the community, interact with locals and improve their conversational English. Placements are available with various organizations, non-profit groups, senior centers, festivals, musical and sporting events. Open to Beginner to Advanced level students with Visitor, Student or Working Holiday Visas.
Program Length - 1 to 5 days. The volunteer program begins weekly for ages 14 and up.
Working Holiday and Youth Mobility Program
The Working Holiday and Youth Mobility programs offer paid employment opportunities in Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley along with a full range of English as a Second Language programs. This program is currently available to citizens of Japan, Norway, Belgium, Switzerland, Chile, Sweden, Netherlands, France, Poland, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Italy, Denmark, Korea and Germany. Specific conditions apply for each country. Please contact the nearest Canadian Embassy or Canadian Consulate in your home
country for information and an application package.
Many employment opportunities exist in Kelowna due to the city's resort designation, agricultural base and unprecedented rate of growth.
- Hotel/ Motel-front desk, housekeeping, maintenance, servers
- Ski Resorts-lift operators, ski or snowboard instructors
- Restaurants/ Pubs-kitchen help, sous-chefs, dishwashers, servers
- Golf Courses-maintenance and grounds workers
- Wineries-retail sales, tour guides, pickers
- Orchards, Farms, Ranches-pickers, farm and ranch labourers
- Construction and Building trades-skilled and unskilled labourers
- Retail shops-clerks and stock takers
Programs include: Practical ESL, Cambridge certificates, TOEIC and IELTS exam preparation, Conversation and Survival English, Business English and Private Tutoring. IGK is a Cambridge testing centre.
Job placement assistance (resume writing, interview techniques and personal introduction to local companies) is complimentary if combined with a minimum of four weeks of full time study at IGK. The fee is $300 for students who do not book an ESL program at IGK. As a member of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association and the Downtown Kelowna Business Association, our school is well connected to the local employment market.
Vehicle Purchase Assistance
If requested, IGK staff will assist students with locating a suitable used vehicle (usually at an auto auction) and help with applying for car insurance, arranging a mechanical inspection etc. Employers may require students to have an automobile as a condition of employment as some employment locations may not be accessible by public transit. Obtaining an International Driving License is recommended before arrival in Canada. Vehicle Purchase Assistance Fee - $300
Work Permit
Students can change from a study permit to a work permit after their formal studies. IGK will assist students with
this process after completion of 24 weeks of full time study at IGK. Please see the Citizenship and Immigration
Canada link for further information www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/apply-who-eligible.asp#inside