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For Canadians · 19+

Spend this summer working at a camp in Europe

No visa for stays under 90 days. Room, board and training included, and the camp pays you every week.

See open placementsWhat does it cost?
  • No visa for stays under 90 days: you travel on your Canadian passport.
  • The camp pays you €75 a week (≈ C$120).
  • Room, board and training included, and you're picked up when you arrive.

What an 8-week summer from Canada costs

Straight numbers, in euros and Canadian dollars, with Camp Europe as the example. Approximate figures are our estimates from October 22, 2026; International Camps Network's fees are exact.

What you pay

  • Pre-interview fee (early bird)not refunded on Camp Europe placements€55
  • Confirmation deposit€300
  • Return flight from Canadatypical summer fare≈ €850
  • Medical and travel insurance, 56 daysabout €3 a day≈ €168
  • First Aid Certificate€55
  • Criminal record check (Canada)≈ €50

Total€1,478 ≈ C$2,320

What comes back

  • Deposit paid back by the camp, placement weeks 1–4 (€75 a week; training week unpaid)+€300
  • Extra weekly TCC, placement weeks 5–7: 3 × €75+€225
  • Transportation Cost Compensation (TCC), against your travel invoice+€150

Total+€675

Also included: training, room and all meals, pick-up on arrival and certificates.

Your summer, in the end

−€803

≈ C$1,260

Most of it is your flight, which any summer abroad costs. Not a fortune, but a lifetime experience money can't buy.

No visa needed for under 90 days. From 2027, visa-free travellers to Europe will need an ETIAS travel authorisation (about €20).

Open placements

Each camp offers one of the two programs: the Cultural Camp Experience or the Paid Counselor Placement.

Getting there from Canada

  • No visa for stays under 90 days, which covers every summer placement. Bring a passport valid for at least 3 months after you leave Europe. From 2027: the online ETIAS travel authorization (about €20).
  • Flights from Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver or Calgary: about €850 return (≈ C$1,340), booked 2 to 4 months ahead. The camp picks you up at the nearest train or bus station.
  • Documents: a Vulnerable Sector Check from your local police, less than 1 year old (online printouts are not accepted), a first aid certificate and travel medical insurance for your whole stay. Not sure which check to request? Message us before you order it.

Questions?

We help you choose a camp and tell you what a summer there is really like, including from Canadian counselors who have been.

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In their words

Canadian counselors who have been

Nick S.

Super summers!

“I also discovered a newfound love for nature and our camp lifestyle. Being surrounded by the beauty of the outdoors every day was refreshing, and it gave me a deeper appreciation for the simple things in life. The sense of community, the joy of teaching, and the bond with nature all made this experience unforgettable. I’m incredibly grateful for everything and can’t wait to do it all again next year.”

Nick S.

Canada

Jordan R.

Amazing

“Meeting so many amazing people and getting to spend everyday outside doing fun activities and making memories that will last a life time. One of my favourite memories was sharing a tent with 5 other girls and having so much fun chatting and sharing about our day before going to bed. Getting to teach and learn about new activities was an amazing experience and made everyday at camp fun. My absolute favourite thing about camp is the people!!”

Jordan R.

Canada

Daniel M.

Class

“Camp has been the thread through my whole life. I grew up as a camper in Mexico and the United States, in California and Kentucky, and those summers shaped me more than any classroom. I went back as a counselor in Massachusetts and Ontario, this time to give other kids what camp had given me. Wanting to understand why it works so well, I did a master's in Management and Leadership of Educational Centres at the Universitat de Barcelona, focused on experiential learning through non-formal education. Then came the Camp Adventure years, 2005 and 2006, as leadership director, and I knew this was what I wanted to do for good. International Camps Network was born from that: helping more young people, and more camps, find each other.”

Daniel M.

Mexico / Canada / Spain

Thomas B.

Adventure

“Being a part of camp is an amazing experience that needs to be lived to fully understand. While being a part of the team that provides an unforgettable experience to the campers that attend, you learn a lot about your own comfort zone and how to push beyond it. The people you meet from all across the globe are incredible and getting to bond together whether its during meals, while running activities or at the campfires at night means that the friendships you form last well beyond the time spend at camp. Truly a special experience!”

Thomas B.

Canada

Gigi H.

Fantastic

“My placement at Camp Europe was even better than I could have imagined. It pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way. I met some of the coolest people and learned so many new skills along the way. The connections you make with both the kids and the teamers are truly unique and unforgettable. Being there felt like an escape from reality, like living in your own little world for a while.”

Gigi H.

Canada

Alexandra M.

Memorable

“Camp was super demanding yet super rewarding; as we say at camp, it really is your highest highs and your lowest lows. Camp pushes you to your limits in the best ways - the self growth and experiences makes it well worth any hardships and obstacles. I will forever cherish the lifelong friendships and memories I made, and I can’t wait for next year.”

Alexandra M.

Canada

Questions

›Do Canadians need a visa to work at a summer camp in Europe?

No, not for stays under 90 days, which covers every summer placement: you travel on your Canadian passport. From 2027, visa-free travellers to Europe also need the online ETIAS travel authorization (about €20). For the 6-month Outdoor Education Diploma, Camp Europe arranges the volunteer permit.

›How much does a summer in Europe cost from Canada?

The flight is the big part: about €850 return (≈ C$1,340) booked 2 to 4 months ahead. Room, board and training are included, and at Camp Europe the camp pays you €75 every week. Over an 8-week summer you spend about €803 in total (≈ C$1,260), mostly the flight.

›Do I get paid?

Yes. On Camp Europe placements you pay a €75 pre-interview fee (€55 until December 21), which is not refunded, and €300 to confirm. The camp pays you €75 every week: after the training week (unpaid), the first 4 weeks pay your deposit back, and from placement week 5 it is an extra weekly Transportation Cost Compensation (TCC), plus €150 TCC towards your travel.

›Do I need to speak German or French?

No. English is the working language at camp; French or another language is a plus, never a requirement.

›Who can apply, and when?

Anyone 19 or over (some placements ask for more). Applications are open from November 1 to April 30.

›Which documents do I need?

A valid passport; a Vulnerable Sector Check less than 1 year old, from your local police (online printouts are not accepted); a first aid certificate (a one-day course if you do not have one) and travel medical insurance for your whole stay. Not sure which check to request? Message us before you order it.

›I have worked at a camp in Canada. Is a European camp different?

The rhythm is familiar: cabins, activity periods, campfires. The difference is the mix: campers and staff from many countries, often several languages at one table, and weekends to travel.

See all placementsFree info session