All about the working holiday in Ecuador!

As mentioned earlier, all working holiday makers must have comprehensive health insurance for the duration of their WHV. It should cover at least medical care, hospitalisation and repatriation.

We’ve been recommending Globe WHV since 2005. They meet the requirements and have covered thousands of working holiday makers over the years.

Ecuador’s official currency is the US dollar (USD, US$, $). There are two main ways to open a foreign-currency account: via 1) a traditional bank or 2) an online neo-bank. Traditional banks usually require you to already be in the country. You would have to make and attend an appointment where a representative would ask you for some documents.

If you want to have a USD debit card in hand before even arriving in Ecuador, you may want to consider the second option, an online neo-bank like Wise. It is an app that offers multi-currency financial services. Customers receive a physical debit card that can be used to withdraw cash at local ATMs. Your USD account would also have its own routing and account numbers, so you can set up autopay, direct deposits, or transfer money to recipients in Ecuador. These capabilities could be useful in exchanges with your employer or landlord. You can register from your home country or once you arrive in Ecuador. Learn more about Wise.

There are advantages to both options. Wise registration is simple and quick, but traditional banks offer the possibility of issuing and depositing cheques, if that is something you need. So you could make a Wise account first and then a traditional account once you arrive in Ecuador.

Once your application is approved, you’ll need to think about where to live, especially in the first few days and weeks. If you are planning on renting long term housing, we recommend you wait until you arrive in Ecuador before paying a deposit or signing anything. Never send money to anyone without seeing the place in person.

For your first couple of weeks, you could consider Airbnb or hotels. But the most affordable option is going to be youth hostels. You can find some great ones on Hostelworld.

After you get your visa, you will have plenty of things you need to take care of. Some of them are more urgent than others, so this list breaks down your to-dos, from the most urgent to the least. It may seem like a lot but don’t worry, take it one step at a time!

As you prepare for your working holiday in Ecuador, check out our library of free articles and guides. Everyone on the pvtistes.net team has done (or is currently on) a working holiday, and so everything we write is from personal experience.

This is the perfect chance to learn or brush up on your Spanish. Babbel is partnering with pvtistes.net to offer 20% off on language courses (learn more). Also check out our other deals for working holiday makers.