Become a Missionary

General

• Who can apply?

  NET Canada considers unmarried practicing Catholics between the ages of 18-30 for our program. Applicants must have turned 18 before the beginning of training for the mission year they are applying for.

• When can I apply?

  You may send in your application as early as October 1st to apply for the following year. You may not apply two years in advance. This is because much can happen in a person’s life in one year and we need the most up-to-date information about our applicants as possible.

• Do I have to be Catholic?

  Yes. Since NET missionaries minister in Catholic schools and parishes, team members must be practicing Catholics.

• I'm from outside of Canada. Can I still apply?

  Yes! Note that your eligibility as a potential NET missionary is subject to any Canadian border/visa conditions and we will be happy to assist with those details. For any more questions, please contact the Recruiting Coordinator. In addition, government restrictions regarding international travel will apply.

• What are NET Canada's current COVID-19 policies?

  Currently, there are no COVID-based requirements for missionaries.

  We are constantly monitoring the situation across the country and will make any necessary adjustments to our missionary requirements when needed. Any decision will be based on ensuring there are no barriers to our mission of evangelizing young people wherever we are called.

Training & Partnership

• How long is the NET year?

  NET missionaries serve from August through May each year. The exact dates vary by year. NET missionaries who are invited to attend Music Training are asked to arrive two weeks earlier than other team members.

• What's NET Training?

  We have several periods of training during the NET year but our longest is Fall Training. The year starts with Fall Training and that lasts for 5 weeks, ending with Commissioning Mass in Ottawa. During the 5 weeks of training our NET missionaries are formed on how to relate to God, ourselves, our team members and finally how to do ministry. Within the 5 weeks of training, they will be assigned to the teams they will be on for the rest of the NET year.

• How much does it cost to do NET?

  It costs you nothing! Except for the application fee and travel costs to Ottawa. NET does require each missionary to raise partnership funds.

• How much do I have to raise?

  NET asks each team member to raise $8,500 (CAD) in partnership funds. Should you be invited to attend Music Training, or if you are from outside of Canada, you are required to raise $9,500 (CAD). Most team members have no difficulty doing so. If you are not able to raise your partnership prior to the start of training, NET will work with you for fundraising options. The partnership each team member raises is about 1/3 of what it costs NET to keep a team member on the road for a year. The rest of NET’s funding comes from retreat fees and organizational fundraising.

NET Life

• What will I be doing?

  NET team members invite youth to have an encounter with Christ. How they go about doing that will depend on the type of ministry team they’re on. They will also receive 5-7 weeks of formation on faith, prayer, communication skills, Catholic teachings, and specialized ministry training before they are sent out to do ministry.

• What does the year look like?

  NET team members must come to Ottawa for the beginning of Fall Training (end of August), unless they are invited to attend Music Training which begins two weeks before Fall Training. NET teams are commissioned at Commissioning Mass at the end of September, then sent out at the beginning of October to start their ministry work. NET team members will have a two-week break period in December for the Christmas holidays. The mission year ends with the Thanksgiving Mass (end of May). For specific dates, please contact the Recruiting Coordinator.

• Can I request what type of team I'm on?

  No. All applicants who get accepted to become a NET missionary must be open to whatever ministry team that they will be assigned to on their NET mission year. The staff takes into consideration what type of team a team member would prefer, but through prayer and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of each missionary they are able to build balanced and dynamic teams.

• Will I be able to go home throughout the year for (insert reason here)?

  If a NET team member has an event to attend (e.g. weddings, funerals, etc.), they will be given permission to return home upon the approval of their Team Supervisor and the Program Director. Some conditions do apply and NET team members should not expect that they will be given permission in all circumstances.

The Application Process

• How do I get an application?

  It’s super easy! Request an application here. It takes less than 3 minutes to fill out. Once you complete it, will be directed to our online NET Application which will contain a link to send your references.

• I requested an application but had trouble with the form.

  Not a problem! Just send us an email at recruit@netcanada.ca and we’ll help you!

• Where do I get a referral form?

  When you fill out the application online, there will be a section where you add the name and emails of your references. They will be sent the reference form directly. If you missed it, don’t worry! Just email us at recruit@netcanada.ca and we’ll help you!

• When do I get interviewed?

  If you are a Canadian resident, we must receive your completed application and 2 referrals and then you will attend the closest Do Something Amazing Retreat (DSA) to you. We will schedule your interview over video call before the retreat.

  If you are an International applicant and you live either the USA, Australia or Ireland, we will require you to meet some NET staff of that country (either though an Interview Retreat Weekend or a meeting arranged by the Recruiting Coordinator), and then once we receive your completed application and 3 referrals, two interviews will be scheduled by NET Canada staff over video call. International applications outside of those three countries will have two interviews scheduled by NET Canada staff over video call once we’ve received your completed application and 3 referrals.

• When will I know if I get accepted or not?

  Once your application and referral forms have been sent in to the Recruiting Team, your interview is done, you’ve gone to a DSA retreat or arranged an alternative meeting with the Recruiting Team, you’ve done your part! The Recruiting Team will submit your file to be reviewed by our reviewing staff. We’ll send you an email on that day and within two weeks of that email date, a final decision will have been made on your file. Due to circumstances outside of our control, the two-week waiting period may be longer that what we stated. We will keep all applicants updated on any delays to their file.

Do Something Amazing Retreats

• What is a Do Something Amazing Retreat?

  A Do Something Amazing Retreat is a one day retreat where you will learn why the youth of Canada need to hear the message of Christ’s love and mercy, how you can be part of transforming the lives of over 20,000 youth and how to discern God’s call for your life.

• Where & when is it?

  Each year, NET Canada hosts Do Something Amazing Retreats all across Canada in between the months of January and April in most major areas. Each year we try and expand to new regions to accommodate our applicant demographics.

  To attend the next one register here!

• Who can go?

  Anyone in grade 12 or between the ages of 18-30 who is interested in learning more about NET and its mission. Whether you are applying to NET or not we encourage you to come and learn about our calling as Catholics to evangelize as we provide an immersive retreat experience and tools to help your discernment.

• I'm applying to NET Canada. Do I have to go to a Do Something Amazing Retreat?

  Yes! It is mandatory for all NET applicants to attend the Do Something Amazing Retreat closest to them. If you applied outside of the Do Something Amazing Retreat season, or it is impossible for you to get to the closest DSA Retreat to you, please contact the Recruiting Department and we will figure out another way to meet or have a video call with you.

  If you are an International applicant, you do not need to attend a Do Something Amazing Retreat but you may be asked to go to the nearest NET Office branch in your country (if there is one) to meet some NET staff.