Custodianship in BC

Custodianship in BC

British Columbia, or shortly BC, is a picturesque Canadian province situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. Its geography ranges from rocky coastlines and sandy beaches to inland deserts and grassy plains. The province is also known for the Della Falls, Khutzeymateen Grizzly Bear Sanctuary, and high-ranked educational institutions.

Today, about 71,000 international students study in British Columbia, and one-fourth of them are under 19 years old. In BC, children who are less than 19 years old are called minors. Thus, parents who do not intend to accompany minor international students to Canada must arrange a custodianship in BC. But before discussing the peculiarities of custodianship, it might be interesting to discover the province and its educational institutions.

Overview of BC

British Columbia is the westernmost province of Canada that borders Alberta, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and the American states of Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska. It is also worth mentioning, that British Columbia is the third most populous province in the country. Its total area is 944,735 km2, and the total population is 5.3 million people. The capital of the province is Victoria, but its largest city is Vancouver.

British Columbia is the most diverse and cosmopolitan province in Canada. The main ethnic origins are English, Canadian, Scottish, Irish, German, Chinese, French, Indian, Ukrainian, and Indigenous Canadian. English is the official language, but Punjabi, Cantonese, Mandarin, Tagalog, German, Korean, Spanish, and Persian also have a large presence in British Columbia. Since one percent of British Columbians speak French as their first language, the Franco-Columbian community is an officially recognized linguistic minority in the province.

The main sectors of BC’s economy are forestry, mining, filmmaking, real estate, construction, wholesale, and retail. The province is also a key center for maritime trade. The Port of Vancouver is the biggest port in Canada and the most diversified port on the continent. Tourism is also one of the main sectors of BC. The province has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, six National Parks, and over 400 provincial parks that attract thousands of tourists each year. Thus, minor international students will have the opportunity to visit these places during their studies and custodianship in BC.

Secondary and Post-Secondary Schools in BC

British Columbia Ministry of Education administers public schools in the province. Like most other provinces in Canada, education is compulsory from grades 1–10 (ages 6 to 16). However, most students remain in school until they complete grade 12 at the age of 18 and earn a Dogwood Diploma.

Custodianship in BC is required for minor international students who are accepted to secondary schools since, as a rule, they cannot attend elementary schools. The school admission committee can even ask to arrange custodianship in BC if minors travel with their parents. However, it is better to discuss this question with the admission officer before accepting the school’s offer.

The public school system of British Columbia includes 59 anglophone school districts and one francophone school district. The best public high schools with English as a medium of instruction are Langley Fundamental Middle and Secondary School, Agassiz Elementary Secondary School, Dr. Charles Best Secondary School, G.W Graham Secondary School, and Revelstoke Secondary School.

Minor international students who want to study at public schools with French as a medium of instruction can apply to École secondaire Jules-Verne, École secondaire Chatelech, École secondaire Duchess Park, École Victor-Brodeur, and École des Pionniers-de-Maillardville.

British Columbia also has the biggest private school sector in Canada, officially and commonly known as independent schools. They may be religious (e.g., Christian or Muslim), may teach according to a certain pedagogy (e.g., Montessori or Waldorf), may focus on specific disciplines (e.g., sports or fine arts), or may focus on university preparation. The top private high schools in BC are Brentwood College School, Little Flower Academy, Crofton House School, Mulgrave School, and West Point Grey Academy.

Minor international students under 19 years old can be accepted to post-secondary educational institutions without arranged custodianship in BC. However, the decision on custodianship in BC is made after the officer in charge reviews additional documents and interviews parents and minor international students.

Public higher education in British Columbia is offered by eleven universities, eleven colleges, and three institutes. In addition, there are three private universities, five colleges, six theological colleges, and an extensive number of private career colleges and institutes. International students prefer attending public colleges and universities, such as Coast Mountain College, Langara College, Camosun College, the University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and the University of Victoria.

Overview of Custodianship in BC

Before confirming admission to the school, parents must arrange custodianship in BC for their children. They ought to find a person who agrees to represent the minor student’s interests during their study in Canada. Thus, a potential custodian must meet four requirements of custodianship in BC.

1. They ought to be Canadian citizens or permanent residents above 21 years old.
2. Prospective custodians need to speak English, French, or both.
3. They should live within a reasonable distance of the student’s school and place of residence.
4. Prospective custodians must be ready to be available to minor international students 24 hours, seven days a week.

Parents who need assistance with custodianship in BC have two options. The first option is to ask their relatives, close friends, or business associates who live in Canada to become custodians for their children. However, they ought to fulfill the requirements of custodianship in BC mentioned above. The second option is to find a certified provider of custodianship services in British Columbia. Yet, parents should discuss the possibility of hiring a custodianship agency with the school administration to avoid any issues.

Responsibilities of Custodians and Minor International Students

Under the custodianship in BC, custodians have several main duties and responsibilities.

1. They ought to help minor international students in scheduling the school’s admission interviews and assessments.
2. Custodians must sign the permission forms for school-related activities.
3. They should talk to the student’s parents and be the school’s designated point of contact for behavioral and learning issues.
4. Custodians need to attend parent-teacher interviews on behalf of the minor’s parents.
5. They ought to keep a record of the student’s attendance and send copies of the student’s report cards to the parents.
6. Custodians must make sure students have valid study permits and health insurance.
7. They should help international students with study permit renewals.
8. Custodians need to inform the school about all contact information updates.
9. They ought to monitor the overall physical and emotional well-being of the minors.
10. One more important responsibility is to help international students with applications to post-secondary educational institutions in Canada.

Minor international students also have several obligations under the custodianship in BC.

1. During study in Canada, they must have a valid study permit and health insurance.
2. Students need to come to Canada two weeks in advance to finish school registration.
3. They ought to attend all their classes and have good academic standing.
4. Minor international students should meet the behavior expectations of the community and respect Canadian traditions.
5. They must inform the custodian and parents about any problems or challenges during their study in Canada.

Declaration of Custodianship in BC

When parents find the custodian who agrees to take custody of the minor student, they must sign a Declaration of Custodianship in BC. The custodian needs to complete the first page of the document, and parents ought to fill out the second page. The completed declaration and the study permit application should be sent to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

As a rule, Canadian educational institutions admit minor international students without the appointed custodian, but the officer in charge does not issue study permits without the Declaration of Custodianship in BC. Minors can obtain a study permit when the immigration officer concludes that the arranged custodianship acts in the interests of the international student.

 

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