How to find free accommodation for work anywhere in the world.
Join the movement and start saving your backpacker budget whilst experiencing local cultures like never before, working right alongside the locals.
Tripapt
How to find free accommodation for work anywhere in the world.
As you know from our post about finding accommodation for free as a solo traveler we’re spending over a quarter of our monthly budget on accommodation. Read on below to see how we can have free accommodation in exchange for just 2/3 hours a day of routine work all over the world.
How it works.
Now coronavirus has become a thing of the past, companies have seen the “great resignation” take many of their workforce offline. One industry which has been struggling for workers is the hospitality industry such as hotels and hostels. In an effort to turn things around, these locations are offering workers a volunteer opportunity.
Help guests check in, help to maintain the facility a 2/3 hours a day. In exchange the hostel/hotel will give you accommodation for your work. Usually this includes a team dormitory or a shared dormitory, in some cases private rooms. Free meals are often included too. There will be a minimum stay which ranges from 1-4 weeks and a maximum stay which ranges from 4-12 weeks. In these situations, you usually work alongside others, experience local culture in a much more immersive way.
How you can manage it.
Our trip planner lets you plan your chosen route on our trip planner (a virtual map) and then shows you opportunities of free accommodation for work at each stop along the trip planner. If your chosen city does not have any work for accommodation opportunities available, simply message us on Facebook and we’ll find something for you.
Advantages.
- Save 27% of your accommodation costs.
- If you have an online job, it’s a perfect way to save money and travel.
- If you’re a backpacker it’s a great way to make local friends.
- You can put experience on your CV whilst you travel.
Disadvantages.
- Adjusting to shared accommodation.
- Maybe the minimum stay or the maximum stay isn’t suitable for you. (Negotiate).
- Need to organize your own visa.
Visas.
Please be sure to file the correct paperwork well in advance of your adventure, we recommend that half a year before you go you start filing all your visas. Here are a few quick handy links for the BRIC and G7 countries. It’s best to have everything done legally because if you get caught without the correct visa you will have to pay a large fine.
Working for accommodation in BRIC countries:
Brazil – you’ll need a work permit even for non-paid work – learn how to get it here.
India – you can easily apply for a volunteer permit for $43 online - here.
Russia – you can volunteer on a tourist visa, this visa costs $160 - apply here
China – You’ll need an F-visa, costing $140 - apply here
South Africa – You’ll need a volunteer visa – apply here
Working for accommodation in G7 countries:
Canada – You don’t need a work visa to work for accommodation if you move host every 4 weeks. Most countries don’t need a visa to enter Canada, but check here to see if your country needs to.
France - you will need a volunteer visa to work for accommodation in France – apply here
Germany – you will need a work visa to work for accommodation in Germany – apply here
Italy – you will need a volunteer visa to work for accommodation in Italy – apply here
Japan – you can work for accommodation in Japan for 3 months on a tourist visa. Lots of countries are exempt from visa process too. Check here for more information.
UK – you will need to apply for a charity worker visa for around $300, a rather expensive path for working for accommodation. However, you can stay for up to 12 months. More information on the application page here.
USA – You will need a volunteer visa – apply here
Will I save money on accommodation if I’m paying for volunteer visas?
Most of the time you’d have to pay for a tourist visa’s anyway at about the same cost. The average traveller spends $1500 a month on travel, $375 in average accommodation costs. Visa costs are between $40-$300 per country. You could move country every month with this method and still spend far less money after paying for visas than you would have if you travelled the conventional way.
Work for accommodation with Tripapt.
We’re here to help people plan adventures, book flights between trips, share travel plans with family and to help you earn money/find accommodation in exchange for work whilst you travel. Use our trip planner now to plan your next dream destination.
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