Visa Information

WWOOFing is a Tourist Activity

If you are a foreign national visiting Canada without a work permit, in order to ease your entry into Canada through border services, you should be prepared by knowing the following requirements:

1) Your primary reason for entering Canada is to go on holiday and do tourist activities.

WWOOF is an education: Visitors (WWOOFers) live with their hosts as a guest receiving food and accommodation.  Part of your time WWOOFing with a host family includes an educational component by lending a helping hand to learn about sustainable agriculture.

There is no hierarchy between host and WWOOFer, no productivity expectations, no financial transactions, and as such WWOOFing encourages a partnership based on mutual trust and respect.

WWOOFers (visitors) live with the host family, share a cultural exchange, and participate in tourist activities in their free time both on their own and along with the host family.

2) Be very polite and answer all questions truthfully.

Don’t be nervous as you have nothing to be nervous about.

Note: Border guards can and have demanded cell phones and have perused emails to identify who you have been contacting. They also may go through all your belongings including any documentation you may have.

3) You have enough money

You have enough money to cover your expenses while in Canada (it is recommended at least $20-$30/day)

4) You have a return ticket to return home

5) You will be WWOOFing only part-time.

You will be WWOOFing only part-time, and no more than 4 weeks with each host.

6) You will be WWOOFing with non-commercial WWOOF hosts.

You will be WWOOFing with WWOOF hosts who are NOT a commercial operation and therefore you could not be considered an employee

Note: 80% of WWOOF Canada hosts are NOT commercial.  Some hosts have BOTH commercial and non-commercial operations.

7) You are aware of the following legislation:

Citizenship & Immigration Canada advises the following, found under What kind of activities are not considered to be “work”?

“There may be other types of unpaid short-term work where the work is really INCIDENTAL to the main reason that a person is visiting Canada and is not a competitive activity, even though non-monetary valuable consideration is received. For instance, if a tourist wishes to stay on a family farm and work part time just for room and board for a SHORT PERIOD (i.e., 1-4 weeks), this person would NOT BE CONSIDERED A WORKER.”

PRINT OUT THIS PAGE AND TAKE IT WITH YOU TO SHOW THE CUSTOM AGENT IF NECESSARY.