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Contents
- Our beginnings: a blog born out of necessity
- Growth driven by the community
- Unchanged values for 20 years
- Major milestones in our history
- Special FAQ: 20 years of pvtistes.net
- A committed team behind every step and a wonderful community
- What’s next?
Our beginnings: a blog born out of necessity
In 2005, Julie and Mathieu were preparing to move to Toronto, Canada on Working Holiday Visas (WHV). They quickly realized there was very little practical information available about daily life: How to find accommodation? Get a job? Get around?
As a result, they decided to create a small blog to document their experience and exchange stories with other young people in the same situation. This blog quickly became a forum, then a fully-fledged mutual-help platform. This is how pvtistes.net was born! They needed a name for this site dedicated to working holiday makers: after some hesitation, they settled on the then-unknown term “pvtistes”, which comes from the French acronym for Working Holiday Visa: PVT.
Within just three weeks, 100 members had already joined the site. The need for information and support was clear.
Growth driven by the community
Since its humble beginnings, pvtistes.net has continually grown thanks to you, its readers. Today, the site boasts nearly 500,000 registered members, an active community on social networks, and numerous resources to help people prepare for their WHV.
We started out covering WHV destinations available to French and Belgian citizens, but have since expanded to help all nationalities, including Canadians, Australians, Brits, and more. We have organized hundreds of events, published free guides, and launched a mobile app, always with the same goal: providing you with free and quality resources to help you prepare for your own working holiday.
Unchanged values for 20 years
From day one, our values have remained the same: mutual support, sharing, kindness, and accessibility. Most members of our team have been on a working holiday or are currently on one, so we fully understand the financial and administrative challenges it involves. That’s why we have always ensured all our resources remain free.
Even in the early days, when developing pvtistes.net from a dark basement in Toronto, evenings and weekends after their regular jobs, Julie and Mathieu never lost sight of their mission: helping others have the best possible WHV experience.
Julie and Mathieu – Grand Canyon.
Major milestones in our history
Over 20 years, pvtistes.net achieved milestones big and small that have shaped the site into the hub that it is today. From our beginnings in a basement in Canada to organizing WHV fairs in France, we’ve grown alongside our community.
The WHV Fair held at the Cité internationale universitaire de Paris in 2019 is a genuine source of pride for us!
| Year |
Key Event |
|---|---|
| 2005 |
Launched the site without a domain name on Free.fr |
| 2005 |
Created the word “pvtiste” and acquired the domain pvtistes.net |
| 2005 |
Organized the first pvtistes event in Paris |
| 2006 |
Expanded the site to WHV destinations beyond Canada |
| 2008 |
pvtistes.net featured in its first TV report |
| 2012 |
Launched the mobile app and redesigned the site |
| 2013 |
Published the PDF guide for WHV in Canada |
| 2015 |
Celebrated the 10th anniversary of pvtistes.net |
| 2016 |
Hosted our first WHV Fair in Paris |
| 2017 |
Kicked off the pvtistes Tour in France and Brussels |
| 2020 |
Hosted more online events during the pandemic to keep members informed |
| 2022 |
Launched a French account on TikTok |
| 2023 |
Hosted our first WHV Australia Fair |
| 2023 |
Expanded our resources to cover all nationalities |
| 2024 |
Launched WHVaustralie.com (in French) dedicated to destination Australia |
| 2025 |
Hosting a special 20th anniversary event in Paris on June 28 |
Special FAQ: 20 years of pvtistes.net
Our name pvtistes (pay-vay-teest) comes from the French acronym for WHV, which is PVT (programme vacances-travail). The istes at the end of the name denotes someone who embarks on a PVT.
Because everyone on our team has been an a working holiday, we know how costly moving abroad can be. That’s why pvtistes.net is and will remain free. Our support is entirely online and group-based (through content, workshops, and live sessions).
Thanks to our partners, including Globe WHV insurance, airlines like Air Canada and Air Transat, the money transfer service Wise, and all our other partners. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to provide so many resources for free!
By spreading the word, sharing your experiences on our site, leaving us a review on Google, or choosing our partners for your WHV. Thank you!
A committed team behind every step and a wonderful community
Pvtistes.net is what it is today thanks to the dedication and commitment of our team. Over the years, passionate people have joined the adventure, bringing their skills and energy to grow the community.
Today, our team consists of members who themselves embarked on working holidays, allowing us to better understand and support the next generation of working holiday makers.
A huge thank you to everyone who has contributed to our journey and mission!
Pvtistes.net has also reached this milestone thanks to you: our members, contributors, and readers. Hundreds of you have shared your experiences and provided valuable tips on our forum.
Over 20 years, millions of you have visited the site, shared experiences, and brought it to life. For that, we thank you!
What’s next?
The adventure continues! We’re staying by your side to support your working holidays with even more content, tools, and events. And, of course, we’ll celebrate these 20 years together at a special event in Paris on June 28, 2025.
Thank you for these first 20 years. Here’s to another 20!
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