Workaway
Workaway is a platform that allows members to arrange homestays, including food, in exchange for work. Volunteers or "workawayers", are expected to contribute a pre-agreed amount of time per day in exchange for lodging and food, which is provided by their host during the duration of the exchange, which can range from a few days to over a year. The opportunities on offer include gardening, animal-care, cooking and farming, as well as more specialist and niche help requests. Workaway is most popular with budget travellers, language learners, people focused on sustainable tourism, and people who want to become more immersed in local culture and traditions. Brexit has affected Workaway placements due to increased difficulty in obtaining work permits for the United Kingdom. In many cases, Workaway requires a work permit and cannot legally be done on a tourist visa. This has resulted in detention of participants by immigration authorities.
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Show screenshot Screenshot of Workaway's homepage. | |
| Available in | English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Owner | VEN ltd |
| Industry | Travel industry |
| URL | www.workaway.info |
| Registration | Optional, site can be browsed without registering. Signing-up as a host is free. Paid subscriptions for volunteers. |
| Launched | 17 April 2002 |
| Current status | Online |
| Part of a series on |
| Homestays |
|---|
| Hospitality exchange services |
| Hospitality for work |
| Hospitality for money |
| Home exchange and others |
Workaway is a platform that allows members to arrange homestays, including food, in exchange for work. Volunteers or "workawayers", are expected to contribute a pre-agreed amount of time per day in exchange for lodging and food, which is provided by their host during the duration of the exchange, which can range from a few days to over a year.[1][2][3]
The opportunities on offer include gardening, animal-care, cooking and farming,[4][5] as well as more specialist and niche help requests.[6]
Workaway is most popular with budget travellers, language learners,[7] people focused on sustainable tourism, and people who want to become more immersed in local culture and traditions.[8][9]
Brexit has affected Workaway placements due to increased difficulty in obtaining work permits for the United Kingdom.[10]
In many cases, Workaway requires a work permit and cannot legally be done on a tourist visa. This has resulted in detention of participants by immigration authorities.[11]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Bowes, Gemma (17 October 2009). "Spain for free - a working holiday". The Guardian.
- ^ Frommer, Arthur (4 March 2012). "Budget Travel: Website offers work-for-room-and-board abroad". Cape Cod Times.
- ^ Glusac, Elaine (2024-08-20). "How to Choose a Volunteer Trip". The New York Times.
- ^ Finn, Christine (15 January 2011). "Culture clubs: volunteering in creative communities". The Guardian.
- ^ Bowes, Gemma (17 October 2009). "Five great Workaway working holidays". The Guardian.
- ^ Dixon, Rachel (1 February 2016). "How to escape: tips and sites for working or volunteering abroad". The Guardian.
- ^ Utton, Charley (28 January 2013). "Travelling on a student budget". The Independent.
- ^ Buccheri, Rory (20 November 2023). "Workaways: How to travel the world without spending a penny". The Big Issue.
- ^ Rainsford, Cat (12 July 2014). "Working holidays: my volunteering breaks and the lessons learned". The Guardian.
- ^ Glass, Katie (2023-01-17). "'I loved being a Workaway host but now Brexit has ended it in the UK'". The Guardian.
- ^ "Volunteering or free labour? The risks of Workaway holidays". The Times. 16 March 2025.