Understanding the post-Brexit reality and where to go instead
Before Brexit, over 25,000 UK citizens worked ski seasons in France alone. Today, UK citizens are treated as third-country nationals. Here's the honest breakdown.
Over 25,000 UK citizens worked ski seasons in France alone. Thousands more worked in Austria, Switzerland, and Italy. UK citizens had full EU freedom of movement and could work anywhere without visa restrictions.
UK citizens are now treated as third-country nationals. The number of UK workers in French ski resorts has dropped to near-zero. Employers must prove no suitable candidate exists among 500 million EU nationals before hiring a Brit. This process is expensive, time-consuming, and rarely successful.
EU employers must follow strict procedures before hiring non-EU workers. They must advertise the position across the entire EU for a minimum period (often 30+ days), document that no suitable EU candidate applied, and then apply for a work permit for the UK citizen. This costs time and money.
Many EU countries have annual quotas for non-EU workers. These quotas are often filled by workers from countries with bilateral agreements (e.g., Morocco, Tunisia). UK citizens are at the back of the queue.
Most ski resorts prefer hiring EU nationals because it's simpler and cheaper. Sponsoring a UK citizen requires legal expertise, paperwork, and costs. Few employers are willing to do this for seasonal workers.
Most UK applicants are unsuccessful. Processing takes 2-4 months. Employers rarely sponsor seasonal workers. Consider Andorra instead—same mountain range, accessible visas.
Learn more: Official France Visas Portal
The Red-White-Red Card is often cited as an option for UK citizens. However, it's designed for long-term skilled workers (engineers, doctors, etc.), not seasonal ski instructors.
For seasonal work, employers must still prove no Austrian/EU candidates via the AMS (Austrian labour office) quota system. You're competing against 500 million EU nationals.
Only viable if: You have 7+ months of seasonal work in the last 2 years and can apply for the RWR for regular seasonal workers. Even then, extremely difficult.
Learn more: Austrian Migration Portal
Switzerland is not in the EU, but it has bilateral agreements with EU countries. Non-EU workers face strict annual quotas. Employers must apply for a permit (CHF 88+) and demonstrate need for a non-Swiss worker.
BASI Level 2 minimum required, but insufficient without connections. Ski schools prefer EU passport holders because it's simpler.
Extremely competitive. Most UK applicants unsuccessful. Processing takes 4-8 weeks.
Learn more: Swiss State Secretariat for Migration
UK citizens previously had a 90-day visa-free work exemption in Italy. This was a unique arrangement post-Brexit.
The exemption may be revoked as of February 2026. There has been no formal announcement, but the legal framework is uncertain.
If the exemption ends, UK citizens would need to apply for a seasonal work permit via the Decreto Flussi quota system (60+ day processing).
Not recommended until the legal situation clarifies. Monitor official UK and Italian government sources for updates.
Learn more: Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Employment contract from Andorran employer, recognised ski instructor qualification (Level 2+), proof of accommodation, health insurance.
Ready to explore Andorra? View our comprehensive Andorra guide →
If EU ski seasons aren't viable, consider these accessible alternatives:
EU visa rules for UK citizens may change. Subscribe to our newsletter for updates on any new bilateral agreements or visa policy changes.
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