Ski instructor course in Saas-Fee Switzerland with job guarantee!

Join our fast-track 3-week level 1 ski instructor course in Saas-Fee, Switzerland

We are stoked to offer you to join our fast-track 3-week ski instructor course in Switzerland. This course is followed by a job placement as a full-time job ski instructor, e.g. with Les Elfes International in Crans Montana, La Tzoumaz, or Verbier! First, you can look forward to 3-weeks of world-class training for your level 1 ski instructor certification in Saas-Fee. Saas-Fee is a picture-perfect Swiss alp village that boasts more than 14 mountain tops over 4.000m (!) in one of Switzerland’s most snow-secure ski resorts. Then, after you have successfully secured your BASI level ski instructor certification, you can put your new skills into action and earn money as a full-time ski instructor in some of the most famous resorts in Switzerland.

As such, you can look forward to a season as a ski instructor in Switzerland surrounded by beautiful mountain peaks, endless slopes, and exhilarating freeride in untouched powder fields. All this whilst developing rapidly in an ambitious, fun, and motivating environment both during the ski instructor course in Saas Fee and as a ski instructor.

The ski instructor course in Saas-Fee

In early November, you will depart your home country to join our 3-week ski instructor course in Saas-Fee, Switzerland. You will stay in shared rooms at the homely Hotel Jägerhof with your fellow Snowminds team members, enjoying daily breakfast and dinner. During the ski instructor course in Saas-Fee, top-professional, English-speaking trainers will provide the training, prepping you for the internationally recognized BASI Level 1 certification.

The ski instructor course in Saas-Fee will hone your skiing technique, teaching abilities, language skills, and much more. We will also be preparing you fully for a job as a ski instructor in the upcoming ski season in Switzerland. Our dedicated program managers will orchestrate social activities and foster a strong community spirit, ensuring your ski instructor course in Saas-Fee is both enriching and enjoyable!

Tailored specifically for your future role as a ski instructor, the ski instructor course in Saas-Fee is your pathway to professional success. After your course in Saas-Fee, we will manage your transfer to the skischool. Here, you will join the onboarding training, setting you up to begin your ski instructor journey in Switzerland.

Life as a ski instructor in Switzerland

You will get a job placement at a skischool in Switzerland. This could e.g., be with Les Elfes. Les Elfes was founded in Verbier in 1987 by Philippe and Nicole Stettler. The company organizes kids and youth camps for schools and private clients aged 6 to 18 years old from all over the world. At Les Elfes, you will find yourself amidst a diverse milieu of clientele originating from all corners of the globe, from South America and the Middle East to Asia. This offers an enriching opportunity to interact with students from varied cultural, social, and religious backgrounds.

Owing to this international setting, proficiency in languages is highly valued, although English remains the predominant language. At the heart of the company, Les Elfes strive to provide new and exciting programs for all campers to enjoy. Most importantly, everyone should leave with memories they will cherish forever with the underlying three key features: Safe, Quality, and Pleasure.

As a ski instructor with Les Elfes, you will work full-time as a ski instructor. This will typically be for 5 days a week, as well as organizing evening activities and ad hoc tasks related to the camps. In general, you should prepare yourself for an exciting role where you are instrumental in the success of the camps. You will live in staff accommodation with your colleagues and have both breakfast, lunch, and dinner available as a part of the job.

What is included?

To sum it up, we’ve planned your memorable season in the legendary Swiss Alps, which includes extensive training and plentiful work opportunities as a ski instructor. Here are the details of what we’ve organized for you:

A 3-week ski instructor course in Saas-Fee, Switzerland
A job as a ski instructor in Switzerland*
3 weeks of hotel accommodation including breakfast and dinner at Hotel Jägerhof, Saas-Fee
Organized season housing in your resort (paid directly to the ski school)**
Lift pass for the 3-week course in Saas-Fee
1/2 price on season lift pass to Crans Montana, La Tzoumaz, or Verbier***
10 days of English-spoken ski training before the BASI level 1 ski instructor course
4 days on the BASI level 1 ski instructor certification including all fees, materials, and membership
Transportation from Saas-Fee to Verbier
Ski school orientation including 5 days of extra ski training in Verbier
Snowminds Team leader and social events during the course and season
Pro-deals at Snowminds Store
Pre-season fitness program
Kick-off event prior to departure with team building and more
Guidance to packing, insurance, visa, etc., before, during, and after the season
Invitation to Snowminds Reunion after the winter season
24-hour emergency phone during the course and season
Travel protection with Snowminds Money Back Guarantee

What is not included?

Transportation to and from Switzerland****
Housing deposit and rent for the full seasonal accommodation
Cancellation insurance, travel insurance, and potential local taxes, registration, and/or visa fees
Ski equipment and anything not mentioned above

* Employment depends on successfully passing your interview and exams and is based on business levels and demands from the ski school.

** We organize seasonal accommodation together with Les Elfes. The price for the housing is communicated by and paid to Les Elfes International.

*** There is a 300 CHF surcharge on the lift ticket for people that are 24 years or older (for people born in 1999 and older) and/ or a 300 CHF surcharge for people signed up later than November 20th 2023, who will be working in Verbier or La Tzoumaz. Les Elfes will cover half of the price of your season ticket.

****We are happy to assist with recommendations for booking airline tickets and airport transfers to your final destination. Please reach out to us ANYTIME if you are interested.

Application requirements

At Snowminds, we take great pride in choosing the perfect candidates to join our team of ski and snowboard instructors. We hold a reputation among ski schools for nurturing competent, energetic, and highly driven instructors. For you, hoping to join Les Elfes, it is vital to possess a passion for working with young campers, inspiring them to embrace new experiences while establishing meaningful connections with them. The foundation of Les Elfes’ success is dependent on its staff’s ability to maintain positivity, social engagement, and enthusiasm in their daily interactions with students.

To apply, we expect that:

You feel comfortable skiing on red slopes
You speak fluent English and ideally another language
You are positive, responsible, and professional
You have a passion for working and spending time with children and youth groups.
You enjoy teaching and love being challenged
You are 18 years or above
You are eligible to enter and work in Switzerland from the beginning of November until the end of April/May

To reserve your place in our ski instructor course in Verbier, we encourage you to reach out to us or submit your application without delay. Following this, we will arrange a call and conduct an interview to evaluate your compatibility with the course and job. This also allows us to discuss in more depth the ski instructor course in Saas-Fee and what life as a ski instructor in Switzerland entails. After the interview, we will inform you if you have secured a spot on our team.

Owing to the high demand for our 3-week ski instructor course in Saas-Fee, we operate on a “first come, first serve” basis and set monthly application deadlines. Consequently, an early application improves your chances of becoming a part of our team and makes the dream of becoming a ski instructor in Switzerland come true.

Key Details About the Course

JOB EXPECTATIONS

Since you are employed directly at the ski school, not Snowminds, it is the ski school that independently defines the scope of your work, pay, and other work-related conditions. Thus, your employment relationship is between you and the ski school and we cannot guarantee, for example, a minimum number of work hours. We will of course help and assist in the event of any questions or anything else.

At Les Elfes, you will find yourself amidst a diverse milieu of clientele originating from all corners of the globe, from South America and the Middle East to Asia. This offers an enriching opportunity to interact with students from varied cultural, social, and religious backgrounds, all united in one location to enjoy exhilarating activities in a safe and enjoyable environment.

You should expect to work a lot, both on and off-slope, which will provide you with a great opportunity to learn a lot and maintain a great living standard.

WORK REQUIREMENTS

Working permit

To stay and work in Switzerland for the winter season you need to be an EU or EFTA citizen. (EFTA which consists of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland). Although Switzerland is not a member of the EU, it is part of the EFTA and thus grants freedom of movement to those from EU/EFTA countries.

Nevertheless you have to get a work permit while in Switzerland, before you start working at a ski school. Your ski school and your team leader will help you and advise you on the most suitable permit, which varies depending on the amount of work per month.

Your ski school will help you with paying the relevant fees to the registration office.

Mandatory Swiss Health insurance / Tourist tax
Most work permits in Switzerland require you to also pay for mandatory Swiss health insurance which must be paid in addition to the registration fee to be eligible to work.

If you are not on a work permit, and not working, then Switzerland requires you to pay a daily tourist tax instead. This is typically around 2.50-4.50 CHF a day, depending on your accommodation setup.

If you are interested in reading more about work in Switzerland as a foreigner, we refer to the official Swiss government website.