4 tips for surviving your first 100 days on a working holiday visa in Canada

It was a sunny autumn day when Youn-kyung Kang arrived in Vancouver on a working holiday visa. But the months that followed were grey, rainy and snowy, something the 20-year-old from Busan, South Korea, wasn't used to. 

The documentary Glorious Holiday follows Kang during her first 100 days in Vancouver. From struggling with the gloomy weather to adjusting to a different language, challenges abound as she settles into life in Canada.

In an interview with CBC Docs and the documentary's director, Amy Baek (who provided some translations), Kang shared what surprised her about moving to Canada and offered tips for others who may be planning to visit on a working holiday visa.

Consider coming to Canada during summer

Busan doesn't get as much rain and snow as Vancouver, and Kang found the winter weather made it more difficult to maintain her optimism during those first challenging months. 

In one scene, she looks out a window at the dark daytime sky and dirty snow on the ground, and describes feeling low.

"Why do so many people want to become permanent residents here?" she asks herself. "Maybe the reason is hidden in the spring and summer?" 

After her experience, Kang recommends moving to Canada — Vancouver, in particular — in the warmer months, when the days are brighter and longer. 

"I love it. We're getting sun," Kang said in her interview. "As long as it's not rainy, everything is fine."

Sign up for language classes to feel connected

Kang suggests enrolling in English classes shortly after you arrive in Canada to make friends who may also be new to the country.

"[In] the first couple of months … a lot of loneliness hits you," she said. 

Glorious Holiday shows Kang taking a job at a café shortly after arriving in Vancouver. While it helps cover her expenses, she soon finds her fluctuating hours make it difficult to sign up for English classes. 

"My schedule changes on the fly every day," she says in the film. 

Instead, Kang makes an effort to befriend her roommates to immerse herself in the language. The documentary also shows her using a textbook she brought from Korea to try to improve her English on her own, studying the word "obsessed." 

"My roommates always tell me, 'You're too obsessed with Timbits,'" she says. "And I respond, 'Haha, yes' and go buy another box."

Learn about your rights as a worker — and document everything

Kang had worked as a barista in South Korea and thought her café job would be a good fit, allowing her to cover her expenses while practicing English. 

But things soon took a turn. When she questioned her employer about issues like late paychecks, they would respond using complicated English words to confuse her. 

After continually failing to receive her tips, she decided to quit.

In a vlog-style scene of Glorious Holiday, Kang cries while detailing her boss's reaction. Though the two-week notice she gave is considered reasonable in workplaces across the country, she says her employer berated her, telling her that she should have given a month's notice. 

"Do your research to know what your rights are," Kang said after reflecting on her experience. 

Kang recommends relying on government sources for information around employment, and making sure all the details around compensation and working conditions are on paper. 

"Make sure everything is documented," she said. "If I don't fight for my rights, nobody here will."  

Keep in regular contact with your family and friends 

"Keep in touch with those who know you, because they help keep you grounded," Kang said.

In the documentary, Kang has an emotional video call with two old friends. One is studying abroad, so he can relate to being far from home. They joke about Canadian stereotypes and share words of encouragement.

Even with the 16-hour time difference between Vancouver and Korea, Kang said it has been worth the effort to keep in regular contact with those she's close to. 

"They give you a sense of stability and security that you can't really expect to find in new friends you make here." 

Kang found that the cultural differences between Korea and Canada went far beyond what she expected when she was planning her working holiday. 

"There are so many things that are waiting for you to surprise you, in both pleasant and unpleasant ways," she said.

Though it may sometimes be hard and lonely when you're on your own in a new place, "think about your tears as water you're giving to the soil [to grow] flowers and trees," she advised.  

"The fact that you're here on your own is already a big achievement."

Follow Kang's first 100 days in Vancouver on a working holiday visa in the documentary Glorious Holiday, now streaming on CBC Gem.