Stepabroad is a trusted, recognized and certified organization by the Government of Canada. We give young Canadians the opportunity to experience work and travel in destinations around the globe. Stepabroad’s friendly and hardworking team coordinates every aspect of the work and travel process for Canadians across the country.
Thanks to our Recognized Organization (RO) status designated by International Experience Canada (IEC), we are proud to help Canadians experience the world while they gain valuable international work experience. Our international internships and working holidays provide young Canadians with the unparalleled growth and development that comes from travel – something that also stands out to potential employers upon your return. Our inbound department, Stepwest, is also available to help foreign youth come to Canada for work and travel experiences.
We guide and support you from the moment you decide to leave, throughout your stay, until you return home. We provide safe, enriching and beneficial experiences that will remain with you for a lifetime.
To be the most trusted Canadian provider for internships and work experiences abroad by providing Canadian youth of all backgrounds with opportunities for personal, career and cultural growth through affordable, all-inclusive work experiences.
We see a future where we can empower young Canadians, regardless of socioeconomic status, to work and travel anywhere on the globe cost-effectively, and foster the latest technology to share their experiences with others both in Canada and around the world.
France, Canada, Ireland.
When I land in a new country, I usually go straight to the local market, and check out the type of produce they have, pay attention to the way people communicate and what they eat. Then I usually proceed to the nearest food stall and order whatever people around me seem to be eating and enjoying. Best way to get an immediate shot of local culture!
I was sitting at this tiny elbow to elbow yakitori place in Tokyo. I started ordering whatever people around me were eating. This was a very local joint, and after a while the table next to me proceeded to send me a round of sake, to avoid a diplomatic incident I immediately returned the favour. After a few exchanges of “courtesy”, we ended up bringing the two tables together where they introduced me to an array of dishes I had never heard of before. They were all colleagues, office workers decompressing after a long day at work. This was my first night in Japan, and it could not have been a better introduction to what it is to be a Tokyoite!
France, England, Canada, and Spain..
Try to get to know the locals! They always have the inside scoop when it comes to knowing the best restaurants, bars, music scenes, activities and places to visit. Locals are locals for a reason, they either grew up in the area or have chosen to make it their home, make it yours too!
I absolutely love skiing and ever since I was a teenager, I had dreamt about doing a Working Holiday Ski Season at Whistler Blackcomb. In 2019 I began my 1st season there and on 6th March 2020, I successfully dropped into the notorious Air Jordan double cliff drop-off Peak chair, Whistler. What an experience, but not for the faint of heart!
Scotland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada
Pack less than you think you need, other countries have just as many malls as home if you forget something! Push yourself out of your comfort zone and say yes to opportunities, especially if you are travelling alone and trying to make friends. Meet-up events and hostels are great for socializing and meeting new arrivals. Also, hostels are not as scary as your parents think they are. They’ve come a long way since the 80’s and 90’s and some are incredibly beautiful – I’ve stayed in ones that have hot tubs, free pancake breakfasts and cinema rooms!
I spent three months working in an outback pub in Australia which was an incredible opportunity to get to know the locals. I became friends with some members of the community who were aboriginal elders, who shared their love of their land with me. They showed me how their grandparents taught them to forage, hunt and work in the outback, and I felt very privileged to witness this authentic side of Australian culture.
Another unforgettable experience was in the small beach town of Kaikoura in New Zealand. The town is home to a large pod of dusky dolphins, and you can take a boat out into the ocean to see them in their natural habitats. For those that are brave enough, you can also join them in the icy sea for a swim, but unlike in an aquarium, they are free to leave whenever they choose. Often they will swim laps around you, playing and squeaking in excitement while you try to keep up.
Sri Lanka, China, United States, South Korea, Mexico, Canada
Arrange to meet or make an effort to meet locals during your first week of arrival! Starting out at a hostel is great as you can meet other travellers and quickly learn about the best spots, but meeting and living like a local is another level of travelling – it doesn’t get any better. For example, find a local roommate or stay at a cute bed and breakfast place owned by locals.
In Dubai, my friends and I went on an impromptu tour to the ‘ghost town’ after our car wheels sank into the sand. Two camel farm owners from Saudi Arabia greeted us with their beautiful Jeep Gladiator and drove us seamlessly to the ghost town. I know that there are professional and organized safari tours that go there, but we did it at a much cheaper price. Plus, we got the unforgettable experience of holding dearly onto a rope as we were not able to sit properly on the super hot Jeep trunk surface. This is when I learned the meaning of interacting with locals to get the most unforgettable experiences, as well as the fun of spontaneity during travels.
Australia, France, Canada
Say yes to every opportunity. This is your time to step out of your comfort zone! Have you always wanted to try rock climbing or go sky diving? There isn’t a better time than when you’re travelling. You’ll meet like-minded individuals and nothing bonds people together like an adrenaline rush! Don’t forget to call home. It can be an exciting or scary time and it can be easy to accidentally isolate yourself from family and friends. Set aside some quiet time to reach out and update your loved ones (or worry them a lot with your sky-diving tales!)
When I was living in France, my homestay family asked if I wanted to go to a music festival. It was a Sunday so I wasn’t expecting anything grand, maybe a stage in a park somewhere. I said sure and hopped in the car. Suddenly, we were pulling up to a castle. There was music blaring and colourful lights everywhere. There were food vendors scattered throughout the sprawling lawns and more stages than I could count. There were bands playing inside the castle and wine vendors everywhere you looked. You never know where you’ll end up when you say yes!
In terms of bigger adventures, my favourite hike I’ve ever done was the Hinchinbrook Island Trail in Australia. It’s on a remote Island in the Northern Jungle. We saw saltwater crocodiles, koalas, lizards, snakes and massive bugs. You couldn’t swim in the ocean because of the crocs but each campsite on the 5-day trek had a beautiful freshwater swimming hole. We climbed the palm trees and picked fresh coconuts, turns out coconuts are really hard to crack open. It felt like we were the only people in the world.
France, Canada
Sniff out the food scene.
Meeting sea dogs for the first time!
Our current mandate is to allow more Canadian youth to embark on work experiences abroad in order to create a 1:1 reciprocity ratio with foreign national youth coming to Canada.
We want to be able to provide both Canadian and foreign youth with the same amount of opportunities to travel to a new country and to gain work experience. Through these experiences, we aim to see youth immerse themselves in a new culture and eventually grow into mature and well-developed citizens who will be active and engaged members of their respective communities.
We help young Canadians, like you, step out into the world so that you can become a global citizen, playing a positive role in the world by becoming more culturally aware and understanding.
We are passionate about helping you break out of your comfort zone and into the world. We are dedicated to helping you begin the best adventure of your life for a memorable experience that enriches and inspires.
We are just like you, we eat, sleep, and travel! We are a team of experienced travellers and can relate to the jitters and excitement that come along with moving abroad. We are here for you every step of the way!
Get in touch with our team to learn more about how you can travel, live and work abroad with Stepabroad.
Let’s start planning your adventure of a lifetime!