Here at the NYQUEST office, it is hard to be objective about our favourite camp locations because all we do all day every day is find international staff summer camp jobs in Canada, but we’re not completely biased! 40% of the NYQUEST team actually worked at camps in the US, so the American camps are still well represented here!
Over a coffee break a few days ago a patriotic discussion broke out that led to us posting this on our Facebook page. It was quite a popular post so this morning we came up with our top reasons why we believe that summer camp jobs in Canada are ‘awesome-er’ than in America:
More unpopulated landmass
The population density of Canada is teeny tiny compared to America. There are just 3.2 people per square km in Canada compared to 32 people in the United States! (source)
How does that relate to your summer camp experience in Canada? Well, basically we have a bigger back yard for you to play in! With more space in the outdoors, our camps tend to have more of a wilderness feel, and you have a better chance of really being able to appreciate the great untouched beauty of Canada!
We have more Moose
There is an estimated 500,000 to 1,000,000 moose in Canada! Compare that to America’s piddly 300,000(ish) and you have a far greater chance of seeing this comically disproportionate yet noble and incredible animal at a camp in Canada!
Tim Hortons
If you haven’t been to Canada yet then we don’t want to give too much away, but basically, this Canadian institution is your ultimate source of great cheap coffee and delicious doughnuts. I remember the first time I went to Tim Hortons, placed a massive order and was astonished when I was handed change from $5!! During your NYQUEST orientation in Toronto we will pass by 5 of these in less than a mile, so make sure whoever is leading your orientation stops for a coffee break!
Take the road less travelled
Everybody knows someone who worked at a summer camp in America, but what makes you unique is being able to say that you work at a camp in Canada instead – stand out from the crowd! Your friends will all ask “Wasn’t it cold??” and you can tell them that actually the summer weather in Canada is awesome, with an average temperature of 26 degrees in summer but it can get even hotter!
Canada is a completely underrated but proud country – and that’s to your advantage! Working at summer camps in Canada means that you’re going to meet local Canadians who are really excited to meet international camp staff, and share their love of their country with you.
Less hassle to get your work permit in Canada!
Compared to our fellow American programs – you will find that our program is a much simpler and straightforward process. You do not need to visit an embassy in your own country to get a work permit for a summer camp in Canada, in fact, you do not even need to be in your home country. As part of your program fee, NYQUEST takes care of all of your work permit paperwork and provides full 24/7 support for all our participants when entering into Canada.
No charge to return to your camp the following year
Loved your summer camp job so much that you want to do it all over again the next year? Excellent! All of us at NYQUEST have spent incredible summers working at camps in Canada so we’re as passionate about working at camp as you are. We want you to enjoy your experience so much that you want to do it again and again. And we won’t charge you for that! In fact you are free to negotiate your own contract and salary with your camp director, so you could end up being paid a lot more for your second summer! If you would like our help with getting a work permit for your summer camp job then get in touch and we would be happy to help! (Unfortunately, we don’t work with any other permits except those relating to camps – sorry!)
Other differences compared to applying for a camp in America: You do not need to be living in your home country to apply for the work permit for a summer camp job in Canada, and you do not need to be a student to work as a support staff! Hurrah!
More lakes!
Our most common request from international staff is that their summer camp is based on a lake. Fortunately, that’s a pretty easy task – Canada has more lakes than any other country in the world.
In fact, Canada has around 3 MILLION lakes, which works out to be about 60% of the worlds entire total of lakes! (Thanks Wikipedia) And as if that wasn’t interesting enough – Canada is also home to the world’s largest island-in-a-lake-on-an-island-in-a-lake-on-an-island. Can’t figure that out – maybe this video will help.
Canadian money is made from rainbows
This is just awesome … and easily beats a fistful of American greens!
So if you’ve been convinced that you should try working at a summer camp in Canada this year then check out our website to find out more about our Canadian Camp Experience Program or skip all of that and just apply!
If you’ve worked at a camp in Canada before, let us know: why do you think summer camp jobs in Canada are awesome?