Working Holiday in Chile

The term Working Holiday and Work & Travel are used for the same program type. Because there is no official use of the terms in Chile (unlike, for example, Australia or New Zealand), we point out that we use both terms synonymously. Therefore you will find on our homepage also a small mixture of naming and we speak of both Working Holiday and Work & Travel. The difference to an internship lies in the fact that working holiday does not focus on the professional aspect, it rather is a kind of "summer job abroad" with fun factor. The goal is to travel on a low budget, get to know the country and its people, have fun and to get involed more than a mere tourist in everyday life. At the same time you can broaden your horizon and develop personally.

Working Holiday does not fulfill the requirements for a faculty-led internship. The program takes place in the areas of tourism, hotel industry, leisure and sports. Working Holiday in Chile is an unpaid job, but the program place will be responsible for your accommodation and meals (partial or full-board). Upgrading your resume with international experience is a very welcome side effect, but not the primary goal of this kind of stay abroad in Chile.

You can do Work & Travel all over Chile. Chile has a great variety of tourist attractions and activities to offer, from the highest north to the deepest South. So, as the programs are mainly in the tourism sector you have many options when booking a Work & Travel program in Chile. Program places for Work & Travel are primarily local travel agencies, small hotels, hostels, surf schools, tour operators, outdoor sports providers, ski resorts, or similar.

The accommodation is provided directly by the program place. A general answer to this question is therefore not possible. In most cases, accommodation takes place directly on the grounds of your work place (hotel or hostel) or in nearby staff housing. In exceptional cases, the participants may be accommodated in a host family, e.g. if it is a family business. You will be informed about your accommodation when you receive your program description, after the placement process is completed.

No previous knowledge is required for participation in our Working Holiday programs in Chile. Anyone who wants to live and work abroad for a while can take part. However, skills such as proactivity, adaptability and a high sense of responsibility are very important.

We require a minimum age of 18 years. There is no maximum age. The majority of our participants are between the ages of 18 and 40 years.

The minimum participation period is 4 weeks and participation in a Working Holiday program is limited to 6 months. The average duration is 3 to 4 months.

In order to participate in a Work & Travel in Chile, basic Spanish skills are required. It is important that you are able to understand work instructions in Spanish and have basic conversations in Spanish. If your current Spanish skills are not enough, do not worry! Our Spanish courses in Chile are perfect to improve your Spanish in order to meet the language requirements.

Of course! We receive many friends or couples traveling together in our programs. However, you should keep in mind that some program places only have one spot available. If you are interested in a "double placement" we try to find a suitable program place, but there is no guarantee for availability. Many friends therefore choose to participate in two different program places in the same location. So you can both make your own experience abroad and still be close to each other to share experiences or to plan free time activities together.

The application process at Chile Inside is simple and straightforward. The starting signal to find the right program for you, falls with the payment of the registration fee. In addition, we need your CV and a current photo, as well as the fully completed registration form. On the basis of these documents, we will create your personal application profile in Spanish and introduce you to the program places. As soon as we have received the confirmation for you, we will send you booking documents. The payment of the program costs will become due to finalize booking.

To organize a Working Holiday program in Chile we need between 1 and 3 weeks. The processing time depends on the availability of places, the applicant profile and our current workload. Please send us your application documents at least 3 months before your desired start date.

When submitting your application, we will charge a registration fee (see registration form). We will create your application profile in Spanish and initiate the placement process. The program costs themselves are only due when the placement process has been completed successfully. 

We will be happy to organize a pick-up at the airport for you. This service is not included in the program fee, but you can easily book it as an add-on. 

Host companies invest a lot of time when going through applications. Likewise, they prepare for the arrival of participants and usually establish a work schedule. They count on your help for the booked participation period and make plans for your time with them. The careful execution of the activities, the observance of the code of conduct and working hours is therefore very important.

The working hours depend on the program location and are between 30 and 40 hours / week. Furthermore, they are influenced by seasonal factors. The tourism industry often works in shifts and on weekends. Please be aware that your free days are not necessarily on a weekend and you may have to take on shifts in the morning, afternoon or evening / at night.

We will send you a certificate of participation upon request. Likewise, all our host companies are willing to issue a work reference which provides more details about your tasks, responsibilities, and performance.

To participate in a stay abroad in Chile you need at least a travel health insurance. This is a prerequisite for participation so that you are covered in the event of illness or an accident.
You can conclude this insurance directly via us, at a reasonable price, under the following weblink: Travel Health Insurance

As long as you are not in paid employment in Chile, you do not need a work visa - unless the program requires a working holiday visa for your stay. With the so-called "tarjeta de turismo" (tourist card), that you receive when entering Chile, you can stay in the country for up to 90 days. This period can be extended. You can get further information regarding the visa requirement directly from us.

Chile Inside is based in Santiago de Chile and employes a multilingual team. Our friendly staff will be there for you to assist and help with any question or problem that may occur during your stay in Chile.

Chile is considered a safe travel destination, even for women traveling alone. Violent attacks on tourists are extremely unlikely. But there are pickpockets in Chile, as everywhere else in the world. With mindfulness and a great deal of mistrust, you can protect yourself from it quite well.

No special vaccinations are required for entering Chile. Tropical diseases such as malaria, yellow fever or dengue fever do not exist in Chile. For further information, we recommend to consult with your doctor, as he knows your health condition best.

In the unlikely event that you experience problems during your stay in Chile, we are available to provide assistance. No matter if you encounter problems in your Work & Travel program, or whether they are of a different nature, we are here to help you. You will find our 24-hour emergency number on your reservation confirmation. It ensures that we are also availabel for you outside of our office hours.