Ten places, three countries
Where We Train.
Pick a region to zoom in. Hover or swipe the cards and the map shows you where each one is, and in British Columbia, which airport you fly into.
How You Get There.
Flying from
Pick where you're flying from and where you're going, and the map shows each leg of the journey.
01The Big Four
The Big Four.
Most of our trainees go to British Columbia: dry interior snow, big resorts and a working holiday permit that lets you get paid to teach. Choosing a resort is a bit like choosing a flatmate. They all look fine on paper, so it comes down to whether you'll get on.
02Compare
Compare Our Ski Instructor Course Locations.
The Big Four, side by side. The numbers matter less than the feel, but the feel is easier to judge once you know the numbers.
Swipe to see all four resorts ›
Panorama.
Explore Panorama ›Sun Peaks.
Explore Sun Peaks ›Big White.
Explore Big White ›Revelstoke.
Explore Revelstoke ›Discipline
Ski and snowboard
Ski
Ski
Ski and snowboard
Paid internship, winter 2027/28
Yes, from £6,950
Yes, from £7,200
Yes, from £6,950
No, courses only
Paid teaching on the internship
About 18 to 20 hours a week
About 20 hours a week
About 13 to 17 hours a week
None
Courses with no job, winter 2026/27
From £3,200
Level 3 training from £2,650
From £8,800
From £4,000
Most courses start
November
November
November
January
Ski area
About 3,000 acres
4,400 acres
About 2,750 acres
About 3,100 acres
Snowfall a year
About 5m
About 6m
About 7.5m
About 10m
The village
Alpine-style, ski-in, ski-out
A pedestrian ski-through village
Ski-in, ski-out, lively evenings
A real town below the mountain
Best for
Settling in easily, on skis or a board
Level 3, and progressing your technique
Gap years and evenings out
Freeride and all mountain training
Ski area and snowfall are rounded from each resort's published figures. Teaching hours are typical, not guaranteed, and at Big White the wage won't cover rent and food.
Free guide
Still Torn Between The Big Four?
The Resort Comparison Guide puts Big White, Sun Peaks, Panorama and Revelstoke side by side, in more depth than a table can.
- Mountain size and snowfall
- Terrain and course style
- Accommodation
- Nightlife and village feel
- Who each resort suits best
03The Wild Cards
The Wild Cards.
It's easy to overlook these three, and they're not everybody's cup of tea. But sometimes you have to leave your ego aside, because what you want isn't always what you need. Give them a second look, then jump on a call with us and we'll go through the nuances of each one with you.
04Which suits you
Start With What You Want From The Winter.
Six questions we get asked on almost every call, and where each one points.
I want to get paid to teach.
Panorama, Sun Peaks or Big White, on a Level 1 and 2 internship from £6,950. Or Nova Scotia, the best paid first job we offer.
I snowboard.
Panorama for internships, Revelstoke for intensives, Fairmont Hot Springs and Nova Scotia for a placement. Sun Peaks and Big White are ski only.
I can only go in January.
Revelstoke. Most of the courses there start on 7 January 2027, including the 9 week intensives.
I already hold Level 2.
Sun Peaks, the home of our Level 3 training. There's a Level 3 internship and two training blocks.
I'm over 35.
The working holiday permit stops at 35 for UK passport holders, so the paid internships are out. The training courses aren't, at any of our locations.
I want to train in the UK summer.
Queenstown, from June to October, on NZSIA or SBINZ courses.
05Europe and New Zealand
Switzerland And New Zealand.
Different qualifications, different seasons. BASI in Switzerland in the northern winter, NZSIA and SBINZ in New Zealand in ours.
Switzerland
New Zealand
“If you're coming out for the après, go to Europe. If you want to come out for some epic snow, come to Canada.”
Rik Dyson, Director
What Past Interns Say.
Read Before You Choose.
Free guides, written by us for people in exactly your position. Start with the resort comparison, then the real cost of a season.
Resort Comparison Guide
Big White, Sun Peaks, Panorama or Revelstoke. Size, snow, housing and who each one suits.
Read the guide ›
Internship Comparison Guide
How much of each internship is training, exams, paid work and free skiing, side by side.
Read the guide ›
Ultimate Internship Guide
Training, exams, accommodation, resort jobs, visas and costs on a Canadian internship.
Read the guide ›
The Real Cost Of A Canadian Season
The whole sum, from flights and insurance to food and kit.
Read the guide ›
Visa Pool Entry Guide, Part 1
How the IEC working holiday pool works, and when to get in it.
Read the guide ›
What Nobody Tells You About A Season In Canada
The bits the brochures leave out, from people who have done it.
Read the guide ›
CSIA Qualification Guide
Every CSIA level, what the exams ask of you and what each one lets you teach.
Read the guide ›
How To Book Our Courses And Internships
From first chat to first chairlift, step by step.
Read the guide ›
Travel And Flights Guide
Flights, transfers and getting to the mountain without stress.
Read the guide ›
What To Take
The packing list for a Canadian winter.
Read the guide ›Which is the best location for a ski instructor course?
There isn't one best resort, there's a best one for you. Want paid work? Panorama, Sun Peaks or Big White. Snowboarding? Panorama or Revelstoke. Starting in January? Revelstoke. Already hold Level 2? Sun Peaks. Tell us what you want from the winter and we'll tell you straight which one fits.
Why do most of your courses run in Canada?
Three reasons. The snow in interior British Columbia is dry and reliable, the resorts are big, and the IEC working holiday permit lets UK passport holders aged 18 to 35 get paid to teach. That last one is the make or break, because it's what turns a course into an internship.
Can I snowboard at every resort?
No. Sun Peaks and Big White are ski only. Snowboarders train at Panorama, Revelstoke, Fairmont Hot Springs, Nova Scotia and Queenstown.
Which resort has the most paid teaching?
Sun Peaks and Panorama, at about 20 and 18 to 20 hours a week on the internship. Big White is about 13 to 17, and there the wage won't cover rent and food. Hours are typical, not guaranteed, because they depend on the snow school's bookings.
Can I train somewhere other than Canada?
Yes. BASI courses in Verbier, Switzerland, from November to April, and NZSIA and SBINZ courses in Queenstown, New Zealand, from June to October. Nendaz in Switzerland has a full season internship for EU passport holders.
Can I split my season between two resorts?
Some programmes do. The 13 week ski patrol course splits between Panorama and Revelstoke, and the Nova Scotia programme trains you in Revelstoke before you fly east to work at Ski Martock.
Emma
Rik
Rik
Emma
Rob
Iain
Cass
Mike
Abbie