There are many experienced skiers who reach such a level of skill and interest in the sport that they start to wonder if they could and should look into ski instructor jobs. They begin to investigate how to become a ski instructor, so that they can take their love of skiing to the next level and share their passion with others by leading their own ski classes. What this group of skiers often find is that a career as a ski instructor is one of the most rewarding jobs out there.
If you’ve never before considered this then you might not know much about how to become a ski instructor or how much do ski instructors make in salary. In this guide, therefore, we’ll answer some of the many questions about becoming a ski instructor.
How to get a ski instructor job
Among the first questions that aspiring ski instructors usually ask are ‘how long does it take to become a ski instructor?’ and ‘is it easy to become a ski instructor?’. These are two quite related questions and the answer is that it doesn’t take as long to become a ski instructor as you might think, while it’s also not as difficult as some believe it is.
The main two things that you’ll need to secure a ski instructor job in Europe are: 1) a ski instructor qualification and 2) some proficiency in the language of the country you want to work in. Both these processes will take different lengths on time depending on how much skiing or language experience you already have.
To help you better understand what it takes to get a ski instructor job, here comes some advice on what you can do to prepare yourself. The following three tips on how to get a ski instructor job will hopefully help you to understand the world of skiing qualifications, the importance of language and work visas for ski resorts.
Get a ski instructor qualification
Without doubt, the most important thing to do when you’re starting to look for a job on a ski resort is to study and obtain a ski instructor qualification.
In terms of which are the best ski instructor courses for those working out how to become a ski instructor, there are various types of qualifications that can be pursued. Three of the main ski instructor qualifications are those from BASI (British Association of Snowsport Instructors), CSIA (Canadian Ski Instructors Association) or NZSIA (New Zealand Ski Instructor Association). Then, there are other countries with their own more specific qualifications. The most important thing is for any ski instructor qualification to be recognised globally through the ISIA (International Ski Instructor Association).
Then, there are different levels of qualifications that you can reach, which cost very different amounts of money depending on the country where you’re learning. Usually, you are required to reach at least Level 2 in order to teach skiing abroad. After that, reaching a higher level will usually entitle you to a higher ski instructor salary.
Achieving proficiency in the language of the country you want to work in
You could be the best ski instructor in the world, with multiple qualifications, but if you can’t speak the language of the guests of your ski resort then all that knowledge will be left semi-dormant. That’s because communication is so important, just like it is for all kinds of teachers. Ideally, you’ll be a confident communicator, who knows how to connect with strangers, but most important of all in the context of ski instructor jobs is being able to speak the necessary languages.
In most cases, you’ll want to have some level of proficiency in the language of the country you want to be a ski instructor in. In the case of Andorra, that would be Catalan, although Andorra is a unique case given that most of the population is bilingual. It’s also very useful if you can speak English, and many ski resorts list a high level of English as an absolute requirement before they’ll even look at the rest of your CV.
Gain a work visa
At the end of the day, a job on a ski resort as a ski instructor is, in the eyes of government, the same as any other kind of job. Therefore, you must have the right to hold employment in order to find a job in this field.
Depending on the country where you’re working and the country where you’re from, you might require a work visa in order to become a ski instructor. If you’re unsure what the situation is in your case, it’s best to check your own government’s foreign office materials with respect to the country of the ski resort where you’d like to work.
Do you need a work permit for Andorra ski instructor jobs?
If you’re specifically looking for ski instructor jobs in Andorra then you’ll need to consider the requirements for working in Andorra. It’s important to keep in mind that Andorra is not part of the European Union, and a work permit will be required to hold employment in Andorra.
There are various other pieces of documentation required to work in Andorra, such as - but not limited to - medical examination information, proof of accommodation, a criminal record disclosure and proof of an Andorran bank account.
How much does a ski instructor make?
As for how much do ski instructors make, this can vary too from one country to another and from one resort to another. According to Salary Explorer, the average monthly ski instructor salary in Andorra for 2023 was €3,330. In France, it was similar at €3,390, while in Spain it was lower at €2,340.
But, no matter which country or resort you’re planning on working in, the more advanced your qualifications, the higher your ski instructor salary will be.