Terms and Conditions

Terms & Conditions of Oyster Worldwide Limited (“Oyster”)

These terms and conditions were published on 10 January 2024 and apply to all bookings made on or after that date. They are the basis of your legally binding contract between you and Oyster. You must read them carefully and make sure you understand them. You must read paragraphs 29 – 41 particularly carefully.
All bookings made to Oyster Worldwide Limited are referred to in this document as “Oyster”, “we” or “us”. You are referred to as “you” and “the Participant”. When we refer to the payment of money we mean the time when the money is actually in our account. Payment is not made simply when an uncleared cheque is offered to us.
All participants for our programmes are bound by these terms and conditions. As an Oyster participant, you are personally bound by these terms and conditions when you agree to them on the Oyster booking form. If you are under 18 at the time of booking a parent or next of kin must also sign to agree.
You accept that any written information supplied to you, or anything we have told you about the programme you have booked has been given to you in good faith and is based on what we knew and believed to be correct when we published the written material or told you what we said.
Oyster has provided key information about each programme on its website www.oysterworldwide.com. You are responsible for reading this before booking.

Our Responsibility to You

We are responsible to you for ensuring that the travel arrangements we make when you apply to and book with us are as we described they would be in our written material and in any conversations we have with you, and are of a reasonable standard.
We are responsible for the service that our representatives abroad offer to you.
We are responsible for your safety and welfare while on the programme. We will explain this in our documentation.
We insure against the risk of breaching our obligations to you for benefit and peace of mind.

Bookings and the Payments you must make

We ask for a payment of £180 with your booking form. This payment will be deducted from the full price of your programme and is not an extra charge.
After you have booked a particular programme we shall tell you whether or not your booking has been successful as quickly as possible. We shall try to tell you in the same week as you made the booking but cannot guarantee that we will. If your booking is not successful we will offer you an alternative programme. You do not have to accept the alternative programme if you do not want to. A confirmed place on a programme is called “a confirmed booking” in these terms and conditions.
If we are unable to place you or if you do not accept an alternative programme offered to you, you have 7 days to request that we refund your first payment of £180. If after 7 days we have not heard from you, your payment of £180 will be non-refundable.
After you complete the booking form and make the payment of £180, we will make every effort to contact you by telephone and by email. You are also expected to make every effort to contact us. If we do not hear from you within 7 days, your booking is considered cancelled and your payment of £180 is non-refundable.
You must pay a second payment of £450 for all destinations except for working programmes in Canada where the second payment is £600 that includes interview and CV/Resume advice exclusive to our working programmes in Canada. This second payment is due six months before departure (or at time of confirming your booking, if booking within six months of departure) and the final payment, which represents the balance owed to Oyster, on or before the 90^th day before your date of departure. The amount of the final instalment will depend on the programme you have chosen. There are occasions where the final payment date may be set closer to departure. This will be made clear on your payment schedule.

Requirement to use My Oyster

When you are offered a place by Oyster, you will be set up with an account on My Oyster, our online Members Area.
My Oyster is an integral part of your booking with Oyster. It is the place where you will have access to key details about your project and information you need to provide, but also to important information regarding your health and safety overseas.
You will be notified by email when new information is added to My Oyster.
It is your responsibility to notify Oyster if you cannot access your My Oyster account, have questions regarding the content or if you need to receive the information in a different format.
We will have provided you with the information that you require for your trip. You are required to read the information carefully before departure. If we do not believe that you have read the information, we reserve the right to cancel your trip and terminate your contract with us.

You Cancelling, not Paying or Changing your Dates

If you do not pay any of the payments on time we reserve the right to regard your booking as cancelled and to offer your place on the programme to someone else. We may terminate the booking and do not have to refund to you the payments made to date.

If you have to cancel your booking, you can. You must tell us in writing. All payments made before cancellation are non-refundable. Once you have cancelled we are entitled to treat your payments as at an end. If you change your mind you will have to make a fresh booking.

If you have applied for Canada slightly different terms apply. For applicants to our Canada working programmes, we provide comprehensive guidance to maximise your chances of securing a Working Holiday Visa, costs of which are covered in your first booking deposit with us (£180). In the unlikely event you are not successful in getting a working holiday visa before your departure date, having secured a job offer, we will try and accommodate a later start date and provide additional support. If this is not possible, we would refund 50% of your total booking cost to cover our administrative costs in the UK and Canada. Should you cancel after being offered an interview, all payments made to us are non-refundable. If you are unsuccessful at interview, we will make every effort to secure another interview opportunity. However, we cannot guarantee this, and we reserve the right to treat your payments as non-refundable.

It may be possible to change your dates. If you need to change your dates and it is possible, we may incur a fee from our partners. This will be passed on to you.

Us Cancelling

We shall not cancel your booking unless we have to for reasons which are beyond our reasonable control.
If we have to cancel your booking for reasons which are beyond our reasonable control not less than fourteen days before the planned date of your departure (not counting the day of departure) we shall try to place you on another programme which is similar to the cancelled one, if you want. We cannot promise that we shall be able to do so, but we shall try. If we succeed in placing you on another programme you must pay for any and all extra costs and expenses involved in that.
If we have to cancel your booking for reasons which are beyond our control less than fourteen days before the planned date of departure (not counting the day of departure) we are under no obligation to try to place you on another programme. However, if we are able, having made reasonable efforts, to recover any costs or expenses as a result of this cancellation we shall pass what properly ought to be passed to you as soon as we can.

Your Financial Protection

In accordance with “The Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 2018” all applicants booking with Oyster are fully protected for the initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all monies paid to us, including repatriation if required, arising from cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Oyster. You will either be covered by our ATOL or by IPP. See points 24 and 25 for details.
For applicants that we book flights for, we have an ATOL and our number is 9598.
1. When you buy an ATOL protected flight or flight inclusive holiday from us you will receive an ATOL Certificate. This lists what is financially protected, where you can get information on what this means for you and who to contact if things go wrong.
2. We, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL Certificate, will provide you with the services listed on the ATOL Certificate (or a suitable alternative). In some cases, where neither we nor the supplier are able to do so for reasons of insolvency, an alternative ATOL holder may provide you with the services you have bought or a suitable alternative (at no extra cost to you). You agree to accept that in those circumstances the alternative ATOL holder will perform those obligations and you agree to pay any money outstanding to be paid by you under your contract to that alternative ATOL holder. However, you also agree that in some cases it will not be possible to appoint an alternative ATOL holder, in which case you will be entitled to make a claim under the ATOL scheme (or your credit card issuer where applicable).
3. If we, or the suppliers identified on your ATOL certificate, are unable to provide the services listed (or a suitable alternative, through an alternative ATOL holder or otherwise) for reasons of insolvency, the Trustees of the Air Travel Trust may make a payment to (or confer a benefit on) you under the ATOL scheme. You agree that in return for such a payment or benefit you assign absolutely to those Trustees any claims which you have or may have arising out of or relating to the non-provision of the services, including any claim against us, the travel agent (or your credit card issuer where applicable). You also agree that any such claims may be re-assigned to another body, if that other body has paid sums you have claimed under the ATOL scheme.
If we do not organise your flights you will receive financial protection through our bond with IPP (International Passenger Protection). In accordance with the UK Package Travel & Linked Travel Regulations 2018, Directive (EU) 2015/2302 or the local applicable law in the country of residence of the passenger(s) booking with Oyster Worldwide Ltd are fully protected for the initial deposit and subsequently the balance of all monies received by us, including repatriation costs and arrangements, arising from cancellation or curtailment of your travel arrangements due to the insolvency of Oyster Worldwide Ltd. The respective laws accordingly to the country of residence of the passenger(s) usually only requires us to provide cover for Package & Linked Travel Arrangements, there is no requirement for Financial Protection of day trips or single elements, and none is provided unless the local law requires such. If you have questions on this then please contact Oyster Worldwide Ltd. Oyster Worldwide Ltd has taken out an insurance provided by International Passenger Protection Ltd (IPP) with Liberty Mutual Insurance Europe SE (LMIE) trading as Liberty Specialty Markets, a member of the Liberty Mutual Insurance Group. LMIE’s registered office: 5-7 rue Leon Laval, L-3372, Leudelange, Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Registered Number B232280 (Registre de Commerce et des Sociétés). LMIE is a European public limited liability company and is supervised by the Commissariat aux Assurances and licensed by the Luxembourg Minister of Finance as an insurance and reinsurance company. This insurance is only valid for passengers who book and pay directly with/to Oyster Worldwide Ltd

In the event of our insolvency please make contact as soon as practically possible giving full details of what has happened quoting the name of your Travel Operator:

For UK & Worldwide excluding EU Passengers

IPP Claims at Sedgwick

Telephone: +44 (0)345 266 1872

Email: [email protected]

or online at http://www.ipplondon.co.uk/claims.asp

For EU Passengers

IPP Claims at Sedgwick

Telephone: +31 103120666

Email: [email protected]

or online at https://www.ipplondon.co.uk/claims.asp

Insurance, Disclaimer and Limits of our Liability. PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY

We shall maintain professional indemnity insurance in respect of all our obligations to you.
Before you depart on your programme you must have taken out adequate insurance to cover personal accident, medical and hospital expenses and the costs of repatriation. This insurance must also cover cancellation, curtailment, personal luggage, legal expenses, personal liability, medical and emergency travel (including helicopter evacuation). That insurance must cover you for all the time you are on your programme and, we recommend, a further month after the planned end of the programme. We reserve the right to ask you to prove to us that you have taken out this insurance. We also reserve the right not to allow you on the programme if you cannot prove that to us.
You should not undertake activities precluded by your insurance.
We strongly recommend that you take out full, comprehensive, personal travel insurance to cover such things as the loss, damage or theft of personal possessions and the costs of your emergency return back to your home country.
We recommend that you take out your insurance cover before you book your flights or pay Oyster your second instalment, whichever is sooner. This is your responsibility and Oyster will not remind you to do this.
If you have to make a claim on your insurance policy you must make it to your insurers. We shall try to help if your insurers require any further information that we can reasonably give to them.
You, not we, are responsible for any excess on your insurance cover and for any shortfall in cover.
We are not liable to you or any third party for any inadequacy in insurance cover you take out or for the loss or theft of your personal property. Under no circumstances or at any time shall we lend you money.
You acknowledge and accept that programmes of the kind organised by Oyster involve a degree of personal risk to life and limb. You recognise that they are, potentially, dangerous or have dangerous elements to them. You accept all the risks involved in making such programmes. We, our representatives and employees are not responsible for your personal health and safety when you are on a programme. We, our representatives and employees are not liable to you in any way whatsoever for any personal injury or damage to property or loss of life that may be caused either to you or by you when you are on a programme (including any travelling to or from a programme). If any claim is made against us, our representatives or employees in respect of any such personal injury or damage to property or loss of life caused to you or by you, you or your personal representatives agree to indemnify and hold us harmless in respect of such a claim.
We, our employees and representatives are not liable or responsible to you for (a) any failure to perform or delay in performance of our obligations under this Agreement or (b) any loss or damage or personal injury or death caused by (i) Act of God or (ii) outbreak of hostilities, riot, acts of war, acts of terrorism or civil disturbance or (iii) the act of any government or authority (including the revocation of any licence or consent including Visas) or (iv) bad weather, fog, fire, explosion, flood, border closures or (v) industrial action of any kind, strike, lock-out, malicious damage, criminal activity of any kind including theft, mechanical breakdown or failure by suppliers or contractors or (vi) your own act or omissions or (vii) the acts or omissions of a third party not connected with us and which were unforeseeable or unavoidable or (viii) any cause or circumstance whatsoever which is beyond our reasonable control or we could not have foreseen even with due care.
We do not promise that what we have informed you in our printed material or in other way is true and accurate in every respect. However, we believe it is true and accurate in every respect. Every care is taken in the preparation of our written materials and what is said to you by us; however, events may suddenly change and where that is beyond our control we cannot accept liability for that.
We do not exclude liability to you for any fraudulent misrepresentation.
The limit on damages recoverable by you from us as a result of our failure to perform this Agreement is limited to the total of the deposit (or first payment) and the second and final installments that you paid.

Health and Fitness

You are responsible for making sure you are physically, mentally and emotionally fit before starting your programme. You are responsible for making sure you have taken all necessary vaccinations including the most appropriate anti-malarial treatments (if applicable). We reserve the right to ask you to prove to us that you have done all this by producing, for example, an original doctor’s certificate of fitness. You must obtain International Certificates of Vaccination which are valid for the entire duration of the programme, which we also reserve the right to inspect.
You must complete a medical declaration form honestly and fully detailing any previous physical or mental medical issues at the time of booking. We reserve the right to ask for a doctor’s letter to be provided before confirming your booking.
You must disclose to us any pre-existing medical conditions. We do not want to stop you from participating on the trip but want to be able to assist you. If you fail to disclose any pre-existing medical condition, that then affects you on the trip, you will be liable for any extra costs involved.
If you are ill while you are abroad you must consult your host for local medical assistance and, where appropriate, notify your insurers. We and our representatives will offer what assistance we can but the ultimate responsibility for ensuring your health and well-being rests with you.
If you take prescription medication, it is your responsibility to bring sufficient supplies, store them appropriately and ensure that you are taking the appropriate dose.

Passports and Visas

We shall advise you on the visa you may need. This may include the provision of application forms, advice about filling them in and offering letters of invitation. However, you are personally responsible for completing the application forms and obtaining these documents on time including making any personal attendances at embassies or government departments. Please remember that embassies decide whether or not a visa is issued, not us. We are not responsible for any unsuccessful application for a passport or visa or any delay in obtaining one.
You are responsible for ensuring that your passport is valid and in date for the duration of your trip, including any extra time as dictated by your destination’s passport policy.

Dismissal from Programme, Breaking the Law and Misconduct

You are responsible for all aspects of your behaviour while on a programme and must adhere to our Code of Conduct, as well as the programme’s own rules.
If you are disciplined or dismissed while on the programme, you must tell us immediately, depending on the circumstances, and at our discretion, we shall offer what assistance we can. However, we reserve the right to terminate our agreement with you without notice (subject to any right of appeal you may have). You are responsible for any legal expenses you may incur, as well as any additional costs associated with repatriation.
If you are charged with any offence or are arrested for whatever reason, you must tell us as soon as reasonably practicable. Depending on the circumstances, and at our discretion, we shall offer what assistance we can. If you are found by a Court to have broken the law of the host country (whether civil or criminal) we reserve the right to terminate our agreement with you without notice.
If you behave in such a way in your host country that you impugn the reputation of Oyster or its representatives or damage our relationships with people there, we reserve the right to terminate our agreement with you without notice and our rights and remedies against you are fully reserved. In cases where we decide not to terminate the agreement without notice, we shall instead issue you with a final warning. In the event that you cause a similar infraction we shall terminate your agreement with us.
If you choose to leave your Oyster programme or employment and find other work without first seeking our assistance, we reserve the right to terminate our agreement with you without notice.

Supervision

For most programmes, you will be outside Oyster’s supervision and responsibility until you arrive at your programme or a designated meeting point. The same will apply to your departure arrangements. We will identify the precise arrangements for your particular programme on our website (www.oysterworldwide.com). During these times you will be expected to make safe decisions and follow advice. If you choose to incorporate additional travel before or after your programme, this will also be outside our responsibility.

Downtime

You may leave the programme for short or extended periods during your leisure time at your own risk. This is referred to as ‘downtime’. For example, you might want to go away for the weekend or longer, or stay the night away from your usual accommodation. If you choose to do this Oyster will not be liable for your safety and well-being (although we would do all we could to help if trouble arose). You must follow agreed procedures for notifying others of your plans and ensure you return when expected (and in time for work). You must also ensure that you buy adequate insurance if you intend to do any independent travel or high-risk activities.

Data Protection

We must pass the information you provide to us about yourself to the suppliers of the arrangements we organise for you both here and abroad, such as your name and address, your sex, medical history and any special requirements you may have. This information may also be provided for customs or immigration purposes or provided to others according to law.
We may use your photos, written articles and quotes for bona fide promotional purposes, whether these are posted on social media or sent to us directly. Please let us know if you would rather we did not do this.
All personal data will be handled in line with the General Data Protection Regulation. Further details can be found in our Privacy Notice – www.oysterworldwide.com/policies/privacy-notice/

Complaints

If you have a complaint about us or the services we offer you must (a) as soon as reasonably practicable raise it with our representative in the host country who will try to resolve your complaint in a reasonable period of time. If you are still not satisfied, or the complaint was not resolved in a reasonable period of time you must (b) raise it with Oyster’s head office in the UK as soon as you can. If your complaint is still not resolved or resolved within a reasonable period of time you must (c) raise it with Oyster’s head office within 28 days of your return to your home country or 35 days of the completion date of the programme, whichever is the sooner.
We always aim to resolve any complaints you may have. If you feel that your complaint has not been satisfactorily resolved you can refer your complaint to the Year Out Group ([email protected]) or use the independent arbitration scheme – the Dispute Settlement Service (www.disputesettlementservices.co.uk/). There is a small cost that both you and Oyster will need to pay to raise a claim with the Dispute Settlement Service. The claim needs to be raised with the Year Out Group or Dispute Settlement Services within 90 days of the completion date of your programme. The decision of the arbitration service is final.
We are not liable to you in respect of any complaint where you have not followed this procedure.

Law and Jurisdiction

This Agreement is governed and construed in accordance with English law. Both you and we submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English Courts.

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