Just one Canadian destination ranks in top 20, based on safety, affordability, job demand
A high wage does not guarantee a destination will attract seasonal work abroad candidates. Safety and rent affordability consistently outrank pay rates, according to a new report.
Remitly, a digital remittance company, scored 88 seasonal-work destinations across 21 countries. It covered three categories: ski and winter resorts, hospitality and party towns, and agriculture and fruit-picking regions.
Each location was scored on cost of living, rent affordability, things to do, job demand, and safety.
New Zealand dominates
Money alone does not move workers. The full employment value proposition — housing, safety, and off-clock quality of life — shapes where people go for seasonal work abroad.
New Zealand dominates the results, claiming eight of the top 20 spots – more than any other country. The country’s Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme has taken on around 145,000 workers since 2007, mostly from Pacific nations, according to the Remitly study. As of early 2025, around 32,490 working-holiday visa holders were also in the country, many filling seasonal roles.
Japan’s Niseko ski resort topped the list with a score of 79 out of 100. It earned high safety ratings and relatively low everyday living costs on Hokkaido. Italy’s Cortina d’Ampezzo came second – the safest destination in the entire study, with a safety index of 94.1.
Val d’Isère in France scored just 37.3 on the safety index – the lowest of any top-10 ski destination despite competitive wages and reliable snow.
Top 20 destinations for seasonal work abroad
| Rank | Location | Category | Score (/100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Niseko, Japan | Ski / Winter | 79.0 |
| 2 | Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy | Ski / Winter | 73.1 |
| 3 | Central Otago, New Zealand | Agriculture | 68.0 |
| 4 | Queenstown, New Zealand | Ski / Winter | 66.6 |
| 5 | Dunedin, New Zealand | Hospitality / Party | 66.3 |
| 6 | Wanaka, New Zealand | Ski / Winter | 64.1 |
| 7 | Nelson, New Zealand | Agriculture | 63.8 |
| 8 | St Anton, Austria | Ski / Winter | 63.6 |
| 9 | Corfu (Kavos), Greece | Hospitality / Party | 63.2 |
| 10 | Val d’Isère, France | Ski / Winter | 62.5 |
| 11 | Zermatt, Switzerland | Ski / Winter | 62.0 |
| 12 | Crete (Malia), Greece | Hospitality / Party | 61.4 |
| 13 | Courchevel, France | Ski / Winter | 60.9 |
| 14 | Rotorua, New Zealand | Hospitality / Party | 60.8 |
| 15 | Motueka, New Zealand | Agriculture | 59.9 |
| 16 | Benidorm, Spain | Hospitality / Party | 59.2 |
| 17 | Rhodes (Faliraki), Greece | Hospitality / Party | 59.0 |
| 18 | Albufeira / Algarve, Portugal | Hospitality / Party | 58.8 |
| 19 | Whistler, Canada | Ski / Winter | 58.3 |
| 20= | Malaga, Spain | Hospitality / Party | 58.0 |
| 20= | Wellington, New Zealand | Hospitality / Party | 58.0 |
Source: Remitly Seasonal Work Study. Note: Banff, Canada (55.8, Ski / Winter) ranked 10th in the ski category but falls outside the overall top 20.
Seasonal employers in Canada
Canada’s entries placed in the ski category. Whistler, British Columbia scored 58.3 and ranked ninth globally. Banff, Alberta scored 55.8 and came in 10th.
Whistler and Banff perform well on the global stage, but both face affordability constraints.
Accommodation costs in those markets rank among the highest in the ski category. Many seasonal employers have responded by offering subsidized staff housing as part of the compensation package. The study notes this practice is common across top-ranked ski and agricultural destinations worldwide.
Read the full Remitly research for more on these seasonal work destinations.
