This page was created to help you understand who we are and how we support Canadian youth as they embark on their Working Holiday journeys abroad. You’ll also find answers to the most common questions parents ask from safety and preparation to how we ensure participants are ready for this life-changing experience.
Many young Canadians return home with transformative experiences that strengthen both their personal and professional growth. At Stepabroad, we work directly with International Experience Canada (IEC), a Government of Canada initiative that encourages youth to gain international work experience, helping them build confidence, develop valuable global skills, and prepare for success in today’s international workforce.
Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Stepabroad is a Recognized Organization (RO) under the Government of Canada’s International Experience Canada (IEC) program. IEC gives Canadian youth the opportunity to work and travel in more than 35 countries through formal Youth Mobility Agreements.
These agreements allow young people from participating countries to exchange opportunities, meaning foreign youth can come to Canada, and Canadian youth can go abroad to live, work, and experience another culture. Each Canadian can use a Youth Mobility Visa once per country, typically between the ages of 18 and 30 (or 35), making it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to grow personally and professionally.
Through these international experiences, IEC and Stepabroad help young Canadians:
To ensure Canadian youth are well supported abroad, International Experience Canada (IEC) carefully selects a small group of Recognized Organizations (ROs) that meet strict standards for safety, guidance, and participant care. Stepabroad is proud to be one of these official ROs, helping young Canadians plan meaningful and well-organized Working Holiday experiences around the world.
At Stepabroad, we’re always happy to speak with parents and answer any questions. We understand that working abroad is a big decision, and that every parent wants to know their child is in good hands. That said, our programs are designed for motivated Canadian youth who are ready to take this step understanding that it must be their own decision. It’s essential that the choice to go abroad comes from the participant’s own interest and motivation. A Working Holiday is an exciting opportunity, but it also comes with challenges that require maturity, adaptability, and personal responsibility.
Before accepting anyone into our programs, we connect directly with each participant through a free one-on-one meeting. This conversation helps us ensure they fully understand what’s involved, feel prepared to handle the realities of living abroad, and can confidently navigate new situations on their own. While our support is always available, parents won’t be there to make day-to-day decisions — so participants must be ready to manage life’s ups and downs independently. Of course, Stepabroad is here to support them every step of the way.
We are here to help program participants every step of the way, from preparing for their departure, to what will happen when they arrive, and throughout their entire trip until they return home safe to Canada. We partner with well-established local organizations in each destination country that provide support and services from the moment your child lands until their departure.
This way, they have our familiar team helping them throughout the entire process here in Canada, as well as an English-speaking team in their destination who can provide them with specialized knowledge and support throughout their time abroad. We work very closely with these local organizations to ensure their services meet our standards and that each program participant is provided personalized support.
Our team has personally lived and worked abroad, so we know what it takes to create a safe, meaningful experience. As a Government of Canada Recognized Organization, Stepabroad combines official structure with real-world experience to help Canadian youth make the most of their once-in-a-lifetime Working Holiday!
As travellers ourselves, we know everything that needs to be done prior to leaving Canada. Everything from unlocking your cell phone, to wire transferring money into your new bank account, packing lists, emergency information, tips for buying flights, and much more. We can make recommendations for travel insurance, help you choose a flight and walk you step-by-step through the visa application process. In our programs, we provide more than just a checklist and access to a job board. We’ve got all the details covered so you don’t need to worry if you’ve missed anything.
A fundamental part of landing a job abroad is having a sharp resume. As part of our program, our team will work on your child’s resume to make sure it stands out to hiring managers and aligns with the standard template in their destination country.
First, we provide participants with a resume writing guide, then spend time making revisions and ensuring it is a professional and accurate representation of their skills, qualifications and work experience. We know a strong resume that makes a great first impression is a valuable tool for any young person’s success in the early stages of their career, which is why it’s a critical part of our program services.
Our program participants receive one-on-one consultations to help them plan the travel and work abroad experience they’ve been dreaming of. In addition to our official service offering, we welcome participants to reach out to us with questions, requests for recommendations or curiosities! We know that each person’s experience abroad is unique, which is why our support is too.
Depending on the program, our team will find participants a personalized job placement or equip them with the resources and tools to successfully land a job when they choose to during their trip. We don’t slot participants in a rotating roster of positions, we take care to find a work experience as unique as the individual!
Depending on the program, we offer a number of opportunities for our participants to meet other young travellers from around the globe at the beginning of their trip. This makes the transition abroad easier and helps them build a network of connections and friends they will have for a lifetime.
Meet our team and learn how we make sure every participant is ready for their Stepabroad experience abroad!
Yes. Stepabroad is a Recognized Organization (RO) under the Government of Canada’s International Experience Canada (IEC) program. This means we meet strict safety and support standards.
Stepabroad’s first and foremost concern is the safety of our participants. We only offer programs in countries that are safe for young travellers and are committed to continually assessing our programs including the services offered via our in-country partners. We carefully vet employers, assist with housing arrangements, and maintain contact with participants throughout their trip. Parents can feel confident knowing their child is travelling with official, structured support.
Depending on the destination, Canadian youth can work in resorts, hospitality, tourism, or seasonal positions. All our job placements are pre-screened to ensure safe and fair working conditions, and participants receive guidance on job expectations, hours, and pay before departure.
In some of our programs, our partner will provide a few options to choose from, in other programs we provide participants with the best resources for finding their own accommodation. We offer our suggestions and advice for finding the perfect place to live, and can always provide additional assistance if someone is having a hard time finding somewhere to live.
Our team provides comprehensive support: from visa and travel preparation to in-country guidance. Participants receive personal assistance every step of the way to ensure they’re well prepared and supported throughout their experience abroad.
Each program includes personalized guidance, pre-departure support, guaranteed job assistance (where applicable), and ongoing support abroad. Additional costs like flights, insurance, and daily expenses vary by destination. We’re always transparent about costs so families can plan with confidence.
Participants will need to pay for their work visa, round trip flights, accommodation, food and entertainment expenses. To prevent travellers from running out of money, all countries that issue a youth mobility visa have financial requirements between $3,700 and $5,000 in their local currency to be approved for the visa.
The program fee pays for all the services and support we provide that help our participants arrange their experience abroad. All programs offer a step-by-step work visa guide and assistance navigating the application process, resume revision, assistance finding long-term accommodation, a thorough pre-departure orientation and ongoing in-country support throughout the program.
On top of the basic services, each program offers different levels of job and arrival support which changes the price of each program. Check out our individual program pages or ask us for more details on what’s included in each specific program.
In addition, the program fee covers our marketing and operating costs. Our partnership agreements with local agencies remove the need to staff and operate international offices. After a bit of research, you may notice our program fees are much more competitive than other program providers because of this.
In the event your child needs medical attention while abroad, they will need to be covered by travel medical insurance to cover the costs. We have a few providers we can recommend, however, we also encourage you to do some research to ensure the policy you choose is the right one for your child. If they are not covered by insurance, the medical bills could be very costly. In some cases, customs and immigration may not let them enter the country without pre-arranged health insurance.
Working abroad helps young Canadians gain real-world experience, independence, and confidence. They develop cross-cultural communication skills, adaptability, and global awareness , qualities that stand out to future employers and universities.
Our participants’ safety and well-being are our top priorities. If something unexpected happens, such as illness, job loss, or a family emergency — our team and in-country partners (when applicable) are available to provide immediate support.
Every participant is required to have comprehensive travel medical insurance, and we assist them in accessing medical care or arranging travel back home if needed. We also maintain regular communication throughout the program to ensure participants are never alone if challenges arise while abroad.
Yes. Stepabroad works directly with International Experience Canada (IEC), ensuring all participants meet visa and immigration requirements. We guide youth step-by-step through the application process to avoid errors or delays.
It’s normal to feel nervous or homesick at first. Our team prepares participants before departure and connects them with a supportive community abroad. Many of our staff have lived and worked overseas themselves, so they truly understand what the experience feels like.