Careers FAQ

A minimum level 1 certification from a recognised international certifying body plus a minimum of 1 season teaching experience with a recognised ski school.

Once you have completed your application;

• Support staff and instructor positions will have one interview with a GoSnow Snowsports Manager either online or in a New Zealand or Australian Resort
• You will be contacted to arrange a time and date to interview for your position - you will be advised if this interview will be conducted online or in resort
• Interviews will be conducted Monday to Friday during business hours (Japan time)
• If you are successful, you will receive an offer of employment within a few days of your interview
• All offers will need to be accepted within 14 days or the position will be reopened to other applicants

If you are offered a position we will require an answer within 2 weeks of the offer being made

You will then be required to provide some more information regarding visa requirements, proof of qualifications & experience, accommodation needs etc. You will also receive regular emails updating you on pre-season training, visas, accommodation, police vetting etc.

For most of our support staff roles it is best if you can work the full season from mid-November through until mid-April. We do offer short term contracts so if you are not available for the entire season, you should still apply - just let us know your availability in your application.

For all new Snowsports instructors you must be available to start work in the first week of December. We can offer both short term contracts (until the end of February) and full season contracts (until Mid April) You are required to be available for the full duration of your contract.

Take a good look at the information available on each of the positions and ask yourself the following questions:

• Do I want to work inside or outside?
• Do I enjoy working with children?
• Do I enjoy working unsupervised & physical labor?
• Do I have previous experience in an area we are recruiting for?

Just like all other ski resorts the start and end of the season seems to be quieter so you can expect there will be fewer hours to work then. Our peak season runs for 4 weeks over the Christmas and New Year period and then another peak over Chinese New Year and there will generally be plenty of hours at this time.

Our Snowsports Instructors will work a 5 days on 2 days off roster during non peak periods & 6 days on 1 day off during peak periods. There is a period of time over the busiest time of the season where a 7 day working roster is in place.

Support staff roles will work 5 days on 2 days off during peak. Dependent on business demands, a 4 days on 3 days off roster may be in place outside of the busiest time of the season

You will be provided with further information on expected hours if you are successful in obtaining an interview.

Yes, GoSnow is a very diverse team. Our instructors & Support staff last year with over 23 different nationalities represented. The majority of our staff are from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Argentina, Chile, Spain, England, Japan, Denmark and other European countries. This makes GoSnow a very diverse and interesting place to work!

Absolutely - it is a great way to earn some extra spending money! Just make sure you talk to your manager before hand to ensure that it will fit around your role at GoSnow.

For some junior instructor roles or for staff who plan to focus on their training/exams during our quieter periods we recommend coming prepared with extra savings or looking for a second job to supplement your hours.

If you are both suited to positions within GoSnow we can certainly try to accommodate this. GoSnow is part of the HTM Group which has several different companies and opportunities for employment. If a position is not available within GoSnow for both of you, then we may have you fit in to a more suitable role within one of the other companies.

View the HTM Careers page for more information.

Valid Japanese working visas are required for all positions- General visa types are;

• Japanese Working Holiday Program – for more information about eligibility please visit http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/w_holiday/
• Skilled Labor Visa (Instructor Positions only) – Must have a minimum of 36 months of snow sports instructing experience. You will require letters from previous employers as proof.
• Ski instructor visa (not applicable to Snowboard instructors) - must have a certification from one of the following associations, ADIDES, APSI, CSIA, DSLV, BASI, NZSIA
• Humanities Visas (For non-instructing positions) For applicants who have finished a minimum bachelor’s university degree. Please note you are not permitted to instruct on this visa types.

GoSnow can assist with Skilled Labor Visa, Ski Instructor Visa and Humanities Visa applications – please note that official documentation is required in order to obtain these visas

For Working Holiday Visas, you will be required to organise these yourselves.

Staff Accommodation Is available for all full time (and limited short term positions) We have a number of different housing options available in Hirafu Village and Kutchan, GoSnow provides a convenient staff shuttle bus.

We have a variety of housing options available including and cost of accommodation is dependent on the room type you select

• Lodge style share housing
• Apartments
• Single rooms (for senior staff only)

A bond deposit of ¥30,000 will be required before you can move into your accommodation.

If you wish to live with your partner who does not work for HTM, we may have accommodation available for the two of you but can not make any guarantees until allocations are completed in November.

The two main locations in the wider Niseko area are Kutchan town and Hirafu Village and we have staff accommodation in both of these locations

Kutchan: Is the main "hub" of the Niseko area and has around 15,000 year round residents. There are 3 main supermarkets and a bar and restaurant district offering a variety of food options as well as the famous karaoke parlour which proves to be very popular with the seasonal staff! Living in Kutchan gives you a more authentic Japanese experience than Hirafu.

Hirafu Village: Is the resort area and is much more Westernised that Kutchan. There are a lot of hotels, restaurants and a fun nightlife scene however expect to pay resort prices!

A staff shuttle is in operation for the duration of the winter season and will transport staff between locations within Kutchan (the main town in the area) and Hirafu Village (the resort) to ensure that you can make your way to work and home again. If you are located in Hirafu Village, it may be required that you walk to work during peak operation times of the staff bus.

We will provide you with the majority of your uniform. However, there are a few things you need to provide yourselves dependent on your position. GoSnow Instructors and outdoor staff will need to provide their own base layers, beanie, goggles, gloves, boots/shoes and snowsports equipment. GoSnow Guest Services: Black, tidy trousers.

You will find English spoken more than Japanese in Hirafu village in the winter, but if you go 10 minutes down the road you are back in the Japanese countryside. It is respectful to know a few words of Japanese when you are communicating and we encourage you to learn the basics!

All GoSnow Instructors will receive their own Niseko United All Mountain lift pass.

All GoSnow Support Staff will receive their own Grand Hirafu season lift pass.

We have two locker rooms at the two base areas of Hirafu Mountain, located at the Gondola & Family Base areas. Both locker rooms are ski in ski out and include:

• Ski/board storage
• Boot drying room
• Personal lockers for staff
• Lunch & rest area
• Fridges/Microwaves/Toaster ovens

There are times during the season in which we encourage staff to take some extra days to explore all that Niseko & Hokkaido have on offer. Generally these include some time in February & March.

You will be provided with specific dates during orientation which are available for some staff to take extra days off. All leave days will need to be approved by your manager and will be subject to business demands.