FAQs

In your first season you have to be realistic. You are investing money into your training, your technical ability, getting qualified and of course having an experience of a lifetime – you have to place some value on this.

A large portion of what you earn will also be spent on living during your season. From experience, we find that first year instructors wish to make the most of their season so do not want to miss out on social events just to save a little bit of money. Enjoy your time with us and your season afterwards, you won’t regret it, but you might regret not making the most of your season in years to come!

SIA now offers the Anwärter SB Course with a Job Guarantee, which is a huge boost to the industry as we push the sport forward, so YES!

If you want to maximise the work you get throughout the full season then we would still advise that you qualify as a Dual Instructor as ski lessons are still the lion’s share of work within ski schools.

Our Dual Course has been specifically tailored for people who are snowboarders and wish to work in Europe. The Dual Course, when successfully completed qualifies you to teach both ski and snowboard and this is an invaluable skill for you to have in a ski school.

We understand that your passion is for snowboarding but once again we are advising you honestly, acting only as realists about the snow sports industry.

Once again it is the ski school that will decide who you will teach. Don’t expect advanced skiers or boarders with your Anwärter. Ski schools will look at each individual on merit and will aim to award suitable clients to those who work hard and do a good job. Be prepared and willing to teach all types of lessons, ski school lessons are heavily made up of Childrens groups and adult private lessons.

After your course you will leave your SIA Accommodation and head to your ski school accommodation (where applicable). Please be aware most of these ski school accommodations are basic. If you do not like sharing bedrooms, bathrooms etc then you may wish to re-think your season. Ski Instructor Academy has no control over the ski school or their accommodation. The problem the ski schools face with ski resorts is that accommodation is extremely difficult to find and even basic apartments cost a lot of money, which the ski school needs to pay. Don’t expect WIFI to be available as standard, although most do have this. Some ski schools offer accommodation for free as part of your employment package, however most will heavily subsidise the cost of accommodation and request a contribution from you of approx. €5-10 per day, which will be deducted from your wages.

Once qualified with the association you will need to pay their annual membership fee which will be approx. €50 and will give you additional insurance throughout your working season. You will also be covered by your ski school when teaching and supervising a group or teaching private lessons. You will be eligible for the Austrian E-card that allows you free medical treatment at the Doctors and Hospital as long as you are employed.

You can never have enough insurance when living in the mountains and for those that choose to use our preferred partners ERV Insurance, STA Travel or World Nomads, you will have the added comfort of their elite service and surety that you are covered for any eventuality.

How long is a piece of string? There are many variables that will affect both your work and your subsequent wage, such as snow conditions during the season, the economic climate, how mature and diligent you are as a worker, what qualification you hold and which ski school you work for.

IN AUSTRIA ,the contract you have will give you a standard monthly wage for Anwärter of **€1.000 – €1.200 and with tax, health care, pension contributions deducted you may have cash in your hand of €700 – €1.000 per month. You will be taxed in Austria but you may apply to have that tax refunded if you did not exceed the tax band in your own country. We have had course participants make as much as €1.250 per month and as little as nothing when in a given month they were unemployable due to injury or finding themselves so low on the priority work list due to bad time keeping or poor work ethic that the ski school avoided using them. The ski schools will always favour instructors who are motivated and professional and avoid using poor workers except for very busy periods when they are desperate for staff.

IN JAPAN, the ski schools pay really well, with our students reporting to earn between **€1.200 and €2.000 per month (190,000 Yen – 317,000 Yen) also providing your lift pass and heavily subsidised accommodation and often meals too. The season in Japan is shorter, running mainly from December until March so you would normally be busy for the most part. Flights to Japan are not included in your course but can be picked up from as little as €400 return using our partner programme travel, easily made back up with the increased wages.

IN CANADA, ski schools will pay you by the hour with additional bonuses for re-booking guests and bringing in new guests. A level 1 instructor (CSIA L1) will earn approx. CAD$14 per hour, whereas a level 2 instructor (CSIA L2) will earn approx. CAD$17 per hour. As with all ski schools, the higher qualified you are, the more money you get paid.

Remember, what may be a gap year or season of fun for you is a professional business for your employer.

**All wage figures mentioned above can be affected by internal and external factors that can impact how much you earn each month  such as weather, tourism, your ability, injuries, illness etc..

Contracts are very standard and it is possible that for some smaller schools the contract may only be given on your arrival in to resort. Other ski schools will expect a signed contract up to 3 months before arrival and will be subject to you successfully completing the SIA course and instructor exams.

You will normally be allocated accommodation and a lift pass together with ski school uniform. The contract will explain the payment system and the working hours of a normal week. It will detail your start date and will ask if you are available to work till the end of the season or if you must leave on a certain date. It may be that you are required to pay a deposit for the uniform and/or the accommodation, which is returnable at the end of the season. You must be available for work during peak season times. This is Christmas and New Year, most of February and Easter (if the resort is still open). Do not request time off during these periods!

The good news for any Non-EU citizen’s wishing to teach in their native land, is they may train and qualify with SIA Austria and the Austrian Qualification they receive will be highly sought after by ski schools around the world. The qualification has been widely accepted in Europe, Canada, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Japan and ski schools have welcomed Austrian qualified instructors into their resorts.

See our Essential Visa Guide for lots of useful tips…

If you are a US passport holder then great news for you, ski schools in the US are happy to accept and employ instructors with Austrian qualifications. You will be awarded higher pay as a level 2 Austrian qualified instructor so your options to train, qualify and work are better than ever.

Those from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa have opportunities to train in Austria, South America or Canada and have job opportunities thereafter in Japan and Canada.

New Zealanders, Australians and Canadians are also in the fortunate position that the countries have mutual agreements in place with Austria to trade working holiday visas between the two nations meaning there is a good chance of gaining a working holiday visa in Austria.

Canadians have also been able to apply and receive a European Passport recently when they have a direct relative (up to Great Grandparent) that was born in some EU member states.

Each member state has its own regulation about this and you will need to research if you are eligible.

Although ski schools do wish to employ people with language skills such as Russian, the Austrian Government limits the amount of Visas to Russian Nationals. Once again we are not in a position to make promises and each individual case must be approved by the Austrian Government. This means we can never guarantee work to Non-EU Passport holders, although Visas are awarded. SIA Austria will be able to further advise you on application for a course.

See our Essential Visa Guide for lots of useful tips…

Current member states of the European Union are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. There is a freedom of movement between them (except all overseas territories other than Regions of France).

The UK is no longer part of the EU.

Restrictions on the free movement of workers may apply to workers from EU member countries for a transitional period of up to seven years after they join the EU.

See our Essential Visa Guide for lots of useful tips…

On successful completion of an SIA course and exam and subject to the terms and conditions of SIA Austria you will receive a seasonal employment contract from a ski school. The job is subject to the terms of the ski school’s contract and are fairly standard in Austria and Japan.

Due to the peaks and troughs of the ski season it is not uncommon for instructors to find themselves without work for periods of the season. You must accept that if the ski school does not have clients or the resort has no snow cover then they will not be expected to pay you as an instructor. They will however during quiet times allow you to stay in the ski school accommodation and allow you to use the lift pass so that you can enjoy some free ski time during these quiet periods of the season. Many instructors look forward to these periods, as when it is busy, you may find that you have very little time to ski or board for yourself.

Job positions are not flexible. Only one job offer per participant will be given. Should you decline a job offer we will be unable to assist you further. This is a very sensitive area and ski schools will not be happy if course participants are changing their minds or making unreasonable requests.

Please note that only persons with an EU passport or suitable Working Visa are eligible for the SIA Job Guarantee. Non-EU passport holders will not be eligible without a suitable Visa. See section on Non EU Passport Holders.

Over the years we have carefully monitored which qualification we should be offering and have adapted to the demands of ski school employers and not what may be easiest for our own logistics. As 99% of people who join a course will ultimately want to be able to enjoy using the qualification they gain, it seems obvious that a training company should focus on this point and be confident that it can supply an employment opportunity to a participant of its courses.

Ski Instructor Academy is fully aware that people will want to have a financial return after a course and openly explain what this means in a first season in a ski school.

Our long standing reputation with ski schools throughout Austria, Japan and Canada of supplying quality ski and snowboard instructors means we are able to guarantee positions to successful participants subject to our terms and conditions.

All SIA Courses and Clinics must be paid in full before your training can commence, refer to your invoice for payment dates.

Booking deposits are non-refundable and will be retained should you cancel. If your course is cancelled for any reason by SIA then your deposit will be returned subject to the terms and conditions in your training agreement.

Should you choose to use SIA’s insurance partners, ERV Insurance, Trailfinders, World Nomads etc, your course fees may be covered by your policy should you have to cancel. This is subject to your own policy terms and conditions.

Our standard payment terms are;

• Booking Deposit (€480 / CAD$750)
• Instalment Payment – 150 days before your course (€2.000 / CAD$2,950)
• Full Payment – 60 days before your course (75 days for Canada Courses)

Yes! Once you have booked and paid your deposit then you will have the ability to pay off your course how you see fit as long as our minimum criteria has been met (see T&Cs).

We can accept any of the following payment methods;

• Electronic Transfer using Moneycorp FX, our partner payment provider. (recommended by SIA) – Foreign Currency Exchange, for excellent exchange rates.
• Debit / Credit card using our secure online payment service (no fees) – Click Here To Make A Payment
• Debit / Credit card by calling an SIA office (Admin fee may apply)
• International Bank Transfer – In order for the SIA to receive your full amount, please make sure that any bank fees that you may incur are charged to the applicant and not to Ski Instructor Academy. Any discrepancies will be added to your final balance invoice. Keep in mind that it usually takes 2-5 working days for your payment to clear into our account.

Banking Details;

Ski Instructor Academy GMBH & Co KG

(Raiffeisenbank Kaprun, Austria)

Account No: 1215821

Sort Code: 35012

IBAN: AT 72 3501 2000 0121 5821

BIC: RVSAAT2S012

You should use your full name or your invoice number as a reference to enable SIA to allocate your payment to your account.

A deposit is necessary to secure your place on a course. The deposit and date of first instalment due will vary depending on when you book your course.

• Bookings made more than 5 months in advance of your course start date require only a deposit payment of €480.
• Any booking made within 5 months of a course requires the standard €480 deposit plus a first instalment of €2,000.
• All bookings made within 3 months of your course are subject to the full course payment.

Final balance payment of your course is due no later than 60 days before the start of your course. Any booking made within this period is subject to the full charge of the course.

If you purchased your equipment through the SIA Partner Programme in Austria it will be adjusted free of charge. Anyone with their own equipment will be charged at the standard shop rate for adjustments. Depending on the level of customisation required there may be additional charges for equipment purchased with our Canadian Equipment Partners.

Yes! A helmet will be compulsory on all SIA courses and exams. You may choose to purchase this in resort or before arrival. Please make sure that it is approved for ski and snowboard usage.

Together with our equipment partners at Bründl Sports, we have developed Equipment Packages for our students enabling you to purchase your equipment in advance of your course to avoid having to travel with additional money, pay for shipping or for those funding their course and wish to have an all inclusive invoice total or simply if your wish to take advantage of favourable exchange rates. Full Equipment Packs start from €780 Euros, and partial packs from €450.

Because we’re all individuals, we offer open packages that do not favour a specific brand, but allow us to use the full scope of available material that suits your needs. The most important decision is the boot and your foot position combined with body type and ski ability is the deciding factor, not what looks good or is a cool colour!

See our Essential Equipment Guide for more info on our Equipment Packs.

Until we actually check your equipment on arrival and see you using it, it will not be possible for SIA to approve any pre-purchased equipment. As previously mentioned your boot may be from a reputable manufacturer and be good quality, but this does not mean that it is the correct boot for your skiing or boarding. The stiffness, flex and volume of the boot are just some of the issues that will either make or break your first few weeks on the piste and there is no point in making the effort and financial commitment to do a course when your equipment is holding you back. Skis and Snowboards also come in so many different types that a participant is highly likely to make an expensive error by purchasing new or second hand equipment before arrival. You should of course bring any decent equipment that has been well maintained and may be of use to you on a course. Your booking questionnaire asks you to disclose clearly the type of ski/board and boots you already may have including the size and age. This way we can advise you if it may be possible to use it. Once again we must stress that a final decision can only be made once you are in resort.

No need to worry about this option as all equipment that is not suitable can be adjusted, returned or swapped as part of our Partner Programme, if they are unsuitable or are causing you issues . Our Canadian courses will have the option to test equipment first before buying due to the differing conditions in North America.

The cost to purchase your own equipment using discounts available through our Partner Programme with Bründl Sports would be much cheaper than the cost of renting.

See section on Qualifications for details.

Obviously, skiing and boarding is an active sport that takes part in an outdoor environment that can be very cold, wet and windy. Mentally a person should be in a good position to be able to handle these weather challenges and also have a character that is open to learning and constructive criticism. You will be training, working and living with others and you should be able to operate as part of a team in a social environment. Physically you need to be fit and prepared for the demands that such a long course will place on your body. We recommend strongly that you are actively involved in sport and fitness before arriving into resort. Strong legs and a good cardio base are very helpful. Advice, videos and training guides are available to all course participants to help you prepare your body. Anyone suffering from pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, asthma etc. are eligible for our courses and need only to inform us so we can better assist you where necessary.

Speak to us! If you are really unsure about your standard we would suggest adding at least a one week booster Clinic before you start your main course. Speak with an SIA trainer and explain your concerns and should you have any video of yourself skiing you may wish to forward this to us. Confidence and physiological factors play a great part in skiing and boarding so the right frame of mind is essential for your improvement. Speed is relevant and as you improve you will have the balance and agility to respond quicker, but a basic level as listed in the FAQs is necessary.

Skiing is a far more difficult skill to learn than snowboarding, so it will be essential that you are a strong snowboarder who can do some basic freestyle moves. This would mean that you can concentrate more time on skiing as your snowboarding is at a higher level and with a tailored-made booster camp for your lack of ski knowledge it would be possible to join the Dual course. Snowboarders should be able to turn both heal side and toe side and demonstrate some edging ability on a red piste.

That’s ok, we forgive you! We can simply add an extra week or two onto your course to learn the basics of snowboarding so that you can join the Dual course. The important factor here is that your skiing is strong and you have a good feel for sliding on the snow. If you have good athletic ability and are a confident skier with 10 plus weeks on snow then the Dual course combined with a short Beginner Clinic should be sufficient.

If you’re an accomplished skier and have never snowboarded though, it may be wiser to join our 2-in-1 Course instead, and really concentrate on your skiing which is what most ski school lessons consist of.

Yes, but you will need to discuss your arrangements with SIA Austria and a tailor made booster Clinic will be suggested to bring you to the minimum level as listed above. Complete beginners need a minimum of 2 extra weeks on snow before joining the standard courses found on our web page. Weak, Blue piste skiers may need as little as one week to bring them to the desired level. This option is currently only available for pre-season courses that start in October or November.

Snowboarders should be able to turn both heel side and toe side and demonstrate some edging ability on a red piste.

If you don’t feel you are at this level, you can still join by adding an improver or beginner camp prior to your course to boost your ability. Speak to one of our team to discuss your options.

It is helpful if skiers wishing to partake in the combined 2-in-1 Course (L1,2 & 3) can be more dynamic and confident in all pisted conditions before arriving. We suggest that you have skied at least 10 weeks to join this course.

Those wishing to join a L3 course should already hold a L2 qualification and should be an advanced level skier.

You must be competent and have enough ski knowledge and time on snow so that you can ski a red piste run in parallel, with a hip-width stance, demonstrating outside ski balance and little body rotation.

If you don’t think you’re up to this level then you can still join, just get in touch to find out how our beginner and improvement camps can work for you.

You can book your course online by selecting your preferred date from the course page you wish to join. Simply fill in a booking form and secure your place with a low deposit of €480. (CAD$750 on Canadian courses).

Here is our take on things:

At SIA, we recognise and respect all National Ski Associations around the globe and we understand that they all aim to maintain high standards within the snow sports industry. We encourage students to rigorously research the information within our website, and within any other snowsports training company, associations and industry leaders to make an informed decision based on your own short and long term goals.

Systems & Qualifications Of Popular Ski Associations:

Austria: Schneesportlehrer (ÖSSV / WSSV)

Level 1: This is a National L1 Qualification which enables you to teach in controlled environments, ie. Dry Slopes or Indoor Snowslopes and in rare cases on snow when supervised by a senior instructor such as some kindergarten areas.

Level 2 (Anwärter): After you pass this exams you can teach beginner to lower intermediate adults and kids on the piste

Level 3 (Landeslehrer): This is a high qualification and allows you to teach high intermediate to advanced skiers and is divided into 3 parts – Landes 1 (pt1), Landes 2 (pt2) and Alpinkurs (mountain safety course) – after completion of these exams you are qualified as a full Landeslehrer. Snowboard Landes is not split into two parts and done as one exam.

Level 4: Diploma – Staatlich geprüfter Skilehrer

Canada: CSIA / CASI

Level 1, first qualification; after you pass this exam you can teach the basics to adults and kids.

Level 2, after passing this exam you can teach more experienced people.

Level 3, classed as a Low Level ISIA. There are additional things that must be achieved to hold full ISIA

Level 4, after passing these exams you are ISIA qualified

UK: British Association Of Snowsport Instructors (BASI)

Level 1, Instructor Qualification which enables you to teach in controlled environments, ie. Dry Slopes or Indoor Snowslopes and in rare cases on snow when supervised by a senior instructor.

Level 2, Allows you to work on the piste teaching beginners to intermediate skiers.

Level 3, After passing this you are ISIA qualified.

Level 4, ISTD and is the diploma level for the BASI.

Switzerland: Swiss Snowsport instructor (SSI)

Basic Education, you are only allowed to teach children

Level 1, first qualification; after you pass these exams you can teach beginner to lower intermediate adults and kids

Level 2, after passing this exam you can teach more experienced skier & snowboarders

Level 3, after passing these exams you are ISIA qualified

Italy: Maestri Di Sci

You have take an entrance exam, after this you have the first part of your exams. If you pass these, you have to do an internship in a ski school. After the internship you have to take the 2nd part of the exams and pass these. Then you have to do another year internship as a ski school instructor assistant. Then follows the third part of the exams, pass these and you’re a maestro di sci, an Italian ski instructor.

France: Moniteur De Ski

You have one level, similar to Italy. The standard is a bit higher and to join you have to do an entrance examination. It’s very hard to get in and your standard of skiing has to be very high.

Only once you are a ski instructor you can then qualify as a snowboard instructor.

America: PSIA

Level 1, first qualification after you pass this exam you can teach the basics to adults and kids.

Level 2, after passing this test you can teach more experienced people.

Level 3, after passing these exams you are ISIA qualified.

• They want Level 2 trained Instructors. That’s great news for you!
• They want Ski Instructors or Dual Qualified (Ski and Board), and occasionally Snowboard only.
• They want an Instructor who has basic knowledge in the native language, which is why we encourage students to join our Anwärter course which includes basic language learning.
• They prefer Instructors who are recommended by a training company and have done more than just an exam.
• And if working in Austria they prefer Austrian qualifications.

With all the info detailed above you might have already made up your mind as to the path which suits you best, but let’s also consider the human element. Not everyone is fixated on the facts of what is best and with that in mind let’s see which course fits your dream experience.

Ski Instructor Academy operates around the World and offers solutions for those serious in a career in the snowsports industry and for those that seek a challenge or a life changing experience.

For those looking for a course with our Job Guarantee, then our Austrian or Argentinian programmes offering the Austrian qualifications are generally the most suitable as we can offer ski school employment in Austria or Japan after your course. This is a great option for anyone who is looking to train and work in the same season.

For anyone that wants an action-packed Gap Year Experience or if you have your heart set on a season in Canada. Then we are proud to offer five awesome programmes in two of the best resorts in North America – Sun Peaks and Whistler, the two largest ski resorts in Canada with over 12,000 acres of terrain between them! We can offer 7 and 11 week all mountain courses in both resorts and an Internship Programme in Whistler all of which offering Canadian instructor qualifications.

We also have an amazing, all-inclusive 11 Week Gap Year Course in Morzine, France which will allow you to explore the French Alps whilst training and qualifying with a BASI L1 & L2 licence during the winter season.

For those that really do not have any interest in gaining qualifications you can always join our training only options that are spread across the season offering in essence a prolonged ski holiday tailored with professional coaching.

At SIA Austria we have spent countless seasons building a firm reputation with Ski and Board Schools and through the understanding of these employer’s demands we can supply exactly what they request.

If you hold a Level 1 licence with another association outside of Austria, you will need to join the Level 2 Anwärter Course.

For those that currently hold an international level 2, you may be able join the Landes 1 course as long as you have proof of 50 hours teaching and meet certain criteria. For more information send us an email and we can discuss your options.

The Austrian Anwärter (Level 2) with SIA starts from as little as €4.680 and yet a comparable Level 1 & 2 Course can cost as much as €9.000 with other providers, that is a huge saving that remains in your pocket. We are always happy for people to compare courses as we know that our training programmes lead to huge savings – Everyone’s a winner!

If you are looking to work your way up the qualification ladder then expect to pay some princely sums with other national systems when assuming training and course costs. Using SIA courses you could achieve Level 3 including ski Anwärter, Landes 1, Landes 2, AlpineKurs (mountain safety) and snowboard Anwärter for as little as €15,460 including accommodation, lift passes, training, exams and transfers.

It is really important for those that are wishing to be in this industry long term that they start their journey in the way that suits their future and their financing. A wise choice now will reap huge rewards short term and long term so choose wisely.

The CASI Level 1 is an introductory level, designed to give successful candidates the skills necessary to begin their role as a new instructor in the industry. Beginner teaching methods, understanding of basic snowboard technique, as well as lesson planning and effective communication skills will be addressed. A L1 Instructor is certified to teach beginner snowboarders up to the Novice Turn level.

The Level 1 certification is a pre-requisite for the CASI Level 2 Instructor certification, as well as the Park Instructor course.

The CASI Level 2 Instructor certification is for any snowboarder that has passed the Level 1 certification, and has an interest in teaching more experienced snowboarders. CASI recommends that Level 2 candidates have prior experience teaching snowboarding in a snow school setting (approximately 45 hours) before attempting the Level 2 certification – This is not a mandatory requirement. A L2 Instructor is certified to teach snowboarders up to the intermediate level (skills and terrain).

The CSIA level 1 course is an introduction to ski teaching, CSIA technique and methodology, and the role of ski teaching within the ski industry. It combines the basics of practical ski teaching methods, technical understanding and development of guest service skills, specifically addressing children’s skiing.

The CSIA Level 2 ski instructor certification is for advanced skiers who have passed the Level 1 certification. The course enables ski instructors to improve their situational teaching skills, to acquire a better understanding of CSIA technique and methodology, and the role of ski teaching within the ski industry. It combines practical ski teaching methods, technical understanding and development, and improvement of guest service skills.

Candidates will receive coaching on their skiing, teaching and people skills with the goal of reaching the Level 2 standard. They will also receive suggestions and strategies for long-term development. The successful candidate is certified to teach skiers up to intermediate parallel skill level.

The Austrian Anwärter is one of the most recognised Level 2 qualifications world wide. The highly respected, world leading alpine nation of Austria continues to maintain high expectations when it comes to it’s instructors and it is this reason why we choose to offer this qualification on all of our courses with the exception of our Canadian Instructor Programmes.

It is widely acknowledged that there are four current levels in ski instructing and generally three in snowboarding.

Many countries offer a Level 1 instructor qualification, which in Austria, does not exist as a stand alone qualification. In BASI (British Association of Snowsports Instructors) a L1 is a qualification for instructors intending to work in controlled environments, which is a fair and accurate description, mainly reserved for snow domes and dry slopes.

The mountains are not a controlled environment. This means a person with a level 1 may work in indoor snow halls, artificial slopes or in some rare cases in a ski resort where the level 1 instructor is within the sight and calling of a more senior instructor. What is clear is you can not operate independently with a group on the piste.

The Anwärter is a recognised level 2 qualification reserved for instructors intending to work in the mountains with a Snowsports School. The Anwärter fits this description perfectly as it allows you to act as a professional instructor in an open environment without supervision.

The Austrian Level 3, simply named Landeslehrer, is a process of several modules and/or courses. The first thing to note is that although L1 & 2 can be quickly achieved in one ski season, a full level 3 is considered to be a longer term goal of 3 – 6 seasons on snow. One needs to not only improve their skill level in skiing and snowboarding but also their teaching understanding and experience.

The bonus is that most systems split the way to a full level 3 meaning you can start to tick some of the boxes towards this gold standard whilst working in the industry. Some of the modules may include; a second discipline, alpine safety course, teaching module etc.

The Austrian system is no different and the first step towards full level 3 is the Landes 1 which is recognised in most of Austria as a separate qualification leading to better pay and higher level guests.

Once again in Austria this next level is not referred to as a level 3 but simply by the name Landeslehrer. This was the ISIA Level equivalence until Austria, France and Italy left the ISIA (International Ski Instructors Association). (ref. page 8)

Although the ISIA are currently looking at ways to re-integrate Austria, France and Italy back into the ISIA, at this time Austria is not a part of the ISIA and therefore the ISIA stamp is not relevant.

A concern that this would leave the Big 3 Ski Nations – Austria, Italy and France, out in the cold when it comes to working around the globe has not materialised as again, it is the quality and experience the ski and snowboard schools desire that ultimately matters.

For those that are really focussed on long term careers and want to further themselves the end goal is Level 4 Diploma, the Staatlich geprüfter Skilehrer.

One thing worth mentioning at this point is that with training, exams and together with the time you must invest, the Austrian system is one of the most economical paths to reaching level 4.

You may of course source your own accommodation in a resort where you may work on completion of your course.

SIA Austria can not assist you or advise you in this matter as it is extremely time consuming and mostly fruitless to find cheap accommodation in a ski resort.

One of the main perks of your season job is that you have accommodation in a resort and a little research into the cost of this will soon make this clear.

As much as we love dogs at SIA the simple answer is NO. Dogs are not allowed within SIA Accommodation. Ski Schools also ban pets from their accommodation.

An additional cost can be paid to accommodate a partner for the full duration of your SIA Course subject to availability.

Ski Schools will not normally accept a partner that does not work for the ski school in their accommodation. SIA Austria does not have any influence over this rule.

An additional fee can be paid for by those wishing to have a single room. All single rooms have supplement charges that are additional to course fees (approx. €26 per night in Austria)

Please be aware that this is absolutely not possible should you be working in a ski school after your course (see section on ski school accommodation). We generally believe it is better for people to get used to living together during the course although we understand if someone wishes to use this option. We carefully use the logistics and data gathered to try and place people in rooms with age and gender as a primary decider. Once in resort it is possible to switch rooms in a specific accommodation to suit all students involved and this is best sorted internally amongst the group as people form their own social circles.

Most rooms in Austria are Austrian Twin Bedrooms, however there are a limited number of single beds and bunk beds in accommodations that we use. We have very limited single beds and these are offered on a first come first served basis.

N.B. An Austrian Twin Bed is described as two single mattresses on a large bed frame.

We have various options for accommodation on our courses. The standard which is included in your course in Austria is shared, self catered apartments, houses or chalets. There are options to upgrade to single rooms, half board pension or spa hotel (subject to availability and supplement).

The use of your own vehicle is subject to the law of the land. We have no objection to participants arriving and using their own vehicles but it is important that you make yourself aware of the law involving having a vehicle here for prolonged periods, such as insurance and safety requirements. Also driving conditions can be hazardous especially for those not used to snow and ice.

All of our accommodation options have ample parking spaces so you are very welcome to bring your vehicle

Holding an Austrian qualification may be of a huge advantage post-Brexit as it is unclear if Austria, together with other ski nations, will accept all qualification outside of the EU.

2021/22 will be the first season post-Brexit and will add some red tape to what would historically have been a normal season. To work anywhere in the world now, incl. Europe, Brits will need a visa or permit to work. The Authorities here in Austria have said that they plan to have a ‘seasonnaire permit’ in place to allow workers short-term access to the employment market during the winter season. Whilst this is potentially great news, they haven’t released any further details on this as yet so it still leaves a little uncertainty on what will be required from UK nationals working in Austria.

We have a number of options which allow you to enjoy a winter season which is not affected by BREXIT, including our Japan Internship, our BASI L1&L2 Courses in Morzine, France and our 11 week Gap Instructor Courses (ski or snowboard) in Austria.

Although SIA courses are amongst the largest in the World, we manage to maintain very intimate training groups of between 4 and 8, but with no more then 8 students per trainer. This allows us to match similar ability levels per group and means no student should ever feel as if they are falling behind or being held back because of the group they are in.

In Europe we are proud to be partners with Snowsports Academy who are the Vienna Ski and Snowboard Association (WSSV).

We also have the privilege of offering exams with the Snowsports Tirol for those that attend our courses with Kitzbühel Job Guarantee.

In Canada, with work closely with the CSIA (Canadian Ski Instructors’ Alliance) and CASI (Canadian Association of Snowboard Instructors).

We see the largest group between 18 and 24 and recently have seen a large number that are between 24 and 40. On our courses we expect approx. 15% to be over 40 years old. As more people are taking a sabbatical from working life our courses are more popular with professional business people or persons who have retired. Don’t be put off by age and ski schools are always looking for mature instructors who can generally deal with adults easier than younger instructors.

Highly unlikely! The oldest participant we have had to date was 69 taking a Level 2 course and he aced the exams!

You must be a minimum of 16 years old before you arrive into resort on our Austrian Courses.

You must be a minimum of 18 years before you arrive in resort for our Canadian and Argentinian Courses.