Work and Travel - Backpacker Jobs : What is There to Do?

Work and Travel - the epitome of freedom and wanderlust! But it is not so surprising that a large part of your work and travel stay is actually about work. They finance food and accommodation, tourist activities and of course the onward journey to the next exciting place. However, there is a lot to know and take into account in order to successfully find good backpacker jobs. Because the work should also be fun and leave good memories on the trip.

With the Working Holiday Visa in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan and China, any type of work is theoretically possible. Depending on whether you come with the appropriate qualifications or not, there are different areas to choose from. Only in the USA are there somewhat stricter regulations that always depend on the application for the respective J1 visa program.

Fruit picking is very popular among backpackers without previous professional experience, especially in Australia, New Zealand or Canada. The work is offered as a harvest aid by the small family farms or medium-sized farms, fruit and vegetable farms or plantations. You are paid according to the number of items or by the kilo. It seems like an easy job, but please don't underestimate the physical work! If you need even more country feeling, working on a ranch or farm in Canada, Australia or New Zealand offers a real rustic adventure. In addition to dealing with horses, cows and the like, you should definitely know how to use tools properly.

What sounds a bit like dog barking is actually a hip opportunity for backpackers to get to know country life on a farm and a green lifestyle. At WWOOFing (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms), a network of farms, farms, and ranches, which are predominantly organic, provides backpackers with a job. You work side by side with the farm family, help with the household, with the cultivation of the fields and with the harvest. Not only do you get food and lodging, but you learn a lot more about the new culture and, of course, how to live sustainably and ecologically. Wwoofing is particularly popular in New Zealand and Canada.

If you already have the balance in your blood and have often swung the serving tray at home to earn a few euros in summer, you also have a good chance of finding a work and travel job abroad in the catering sector! In fact, jobs in bars, cafés, and restaurants in particular are quite easy to get, but if you have a bit of previous experience on your CV, you will have a clear advantage over your competitors. There are enough because waiters in particular are very popular. But you can also find a wide range of jobs behind the counter or in the kitchen, especially in English-speaking countries.

The tourism sector provides a soil that is very nutritious for work and travelers. Hostels, hotels, resorts, amusement parks, ski resorts or tour operators - previous experience is half the battle here if you want to work on the sunny side; as a ski instructor in Canada or New Zealand, or as a diving instructor in Australia for example. But there are enough niches that offer everyone the opportunity to get a job. Work in the hotel at the reception, help with cleaning and room cleaning or just back in the kitchen.

Anyone who shines with a bit of previous experience on their CV will secure a clear advantage over their competitors.

Babysitting, teaching English, summer camp - if you like to deal with children and may even need hours of experience for your studies, you will also find something in the area of childcare during the Work and Travel trip. In New Zealand and Australia, many families offer a position as a nanny, where you naturally take care of the children on the one hand and help with the household on the other. You have so much intensive contact with the locals and you just get a lot more from the lifestyle. In China or Japan, English teachers or assistants are primarily sought in class. In Canada and the USA, there is a work and travel job in the popular summer camps. Not to teach English, but to look after the children in the camp and, if possible, even look after them as a sports teacher.

They are not that type of work and travelers, but you can still find them. However, office jobs are usually only found with previous experience - for example, an apprenticeship or a degree. In marketing, design or IT, in particular, you could ask whether there are any temporary projects that could use your support as a qualified part-time worker.

In addition to the classic work and travel work, there are of course also simple jobs to be assigned, such as cashiers or on construction sites.

The most important rule of thumb for work and travel planning? When, what, where. Take fruit picking, for example: If you want to travel to Oceania in August, you shouldn't even look for a job as a fruit harvesting assistant. The main season for most fruits in Australia and New Zealand starts in December and ends in June. In addition to the travel time, you also have to consider what is grown in which region. The same goes for work in tourism, of course, because getting a job here is particularly easy in the season.

In addition, you should check the visa requirements again. So you can only stay with an employer for up to 6 months with a Work and Travel in Australia, and then you have to change. In some cases, you even have to decide which type of work and travel job you will take on before you arrive - for example in the USA. With a normal J1 summer job visa, you cannot take on a job as a babysitter or in a summer camp. There are corresponding visa programs for this.