 | |
Show screenshot Screenshot of Workaway's homepage. | |
| Available in | English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese |
|---|---|
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Owner | VEN ltd |
| Industry | Travel industry |
| Website | www |
| 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
References
- ^ 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.