Custodianship in Calgary

Custodianship in Calgary

Canada welcomes not only adult students but also minor international students. Every year, about 71,000 minors decide to study in Canada. Many of them choose to study in one of the most popular cities for international students, Calgary. Nevertheless, minor students who want to study in the country must be accompanied by parents or have arranged custodianship in Calgary. Before discussing details of custodianship, it is worth learning more about the city.

Overview of Calgary

Situated at the confluence of the Bow River and the Elbow River, Calgary is the biggest city in the province of Alberta. Its total area is 820.63 km2, with a population of 1,306,784 residents. About 60% of the city’s population is of European origin, 36% of the population belongs to a visible minority, and 4% is of Aboriginal heritage. The most frequent ethnic backgrounds are British, German, Irish, French, Ukrainian, Indian, Pakistani, Chinese, and Filipino.

Calgary’s economy focuses on financial services, film production, transportation, technology, manufacturing, aerospace, retail, and tourism. It is also a leader in the Canadian oil and gas industry.

Calgary is the first most livable city in Canada and the third in the world. Hence, the city has many attractions for international students during their study and custodianship in Calgary. For instance, they can visit the Calgary Tower, Calaway Park, Calgary Zoo, National Music Center, St. Patrick’s Island, and Glenbow Museum. Moreover, students can enjoy the views of the Devonian Gardens, one of the biggest urban indoor gardens in the world, located on the top floor of the Core Center.

Secondary and Post-Secondary Schools in Calgary

Calgary has two types of schools: public and private. Public schools are the most common choice among parents since they offer a standard curriculum for education in Alberta. However, private schools can be better for parents if they want their children to be taught through specific themes, such as faith, language, high achievement, personal creativity, and leadership.

There are 240 public schools with English as a medium of instruction run by the Calgary Board of Education. Additionally, the Calgary Catholic School District board manages about 95 separate schools with English as a medium of instruction. There is also the Southern Francophone Education Region No. 4, which serves the Francophone community of the city and suburbs.

Students can attend public schools for 13 years of study, from kindergarten to Grade 12, and graduate with a diploma. Moreover, they must write provincial exams in English, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science to graduate. Parents of international students who consider studying and custodianship in Calgary can choose the Western Canada High School, Centennial High School, Henry Wise Wood High School, Lord Beaverbrook High School, or Sir Winston Churchill High School.

Charter public schools offer innovative and enhanced education programming. The best charter schools for international students are Almadina School Society, Calgary Arts Academy Society, and Foundations for the Future Charter Academy.

Public schools with French as a medium of instruction help students develop cultural ties and a sense of belonging to the Francophone community. International students who want to study in a Francophone school and arrange custodianship in Calgary can consider École de la Rose Sauvage, École Sainte-Marguerite-Bourgeoys, and École de la Source.

Separate public schools reflect the right of Roman Catholic and Protestant Christian parents to educate their children. This type of school meets the same curriculum as other public schools, but education is based on the Roman Catholic or Protestant faiths. The best Roman Catholic schools in the city are St. Francis High School and Notre Dame High School.

International students who want to get an education through a specific religious or educational philosophy can study at private schools under the custodianship in Calgary. The top schools for students are Master’s Academy, Bearspaw Christian School, the Akram Jomaa Islamic School, Calgary French and International School, and Mountain View Academy.

Now, it is time to discuss the best post-secondary schools for international students. University of Calgary, Mount Royal University, SAIT Polytechnic, Athabasca University, Alberta University of the Arts, Ambrose University, Bow Valley College, and St. Mary’s University offer comprehensive study programs to meet the needs of each student. Private educational institutions in Calgary are Robertson College, Reeves College, MaKami College, Columbia College, Alberta Bible College, and CDI College.

Minor Students in Calgary

In Canada, each province and territory determine the age when an individual is considered an adult. In Alberta, the age of majority is 18. Under the law, a person under this age is a minor.

Public as well as private secondary schools require custodianship in Calgary for minor international students who are not accompanied by parents. If international students are above 17 years old, they do not need to arrange custodianship in Calgary to attend post-secondary schools. Nevertheless, parents need to contact the school and discuss this question.

Overview of Custodianship in Calgary

Custodianship in Calgary is a legal arrangement between parents and custodians, which shows the custodian’s commitment to representing the student’s interests in Canada. To become the custodian, the person must meet several requirements.

1. They ought to be citizens or permanent residents of Canada.
2. Custodians should speak English, French, or both well.
3. They need to be more than 19 years old.
4. Custodians must live within a short distance from the minor student’s school and accommodation.
5. They ought to be available 24 hours seven days a week for emergency calls of international students.

Parents who do not accompany their children and seek help with custodianship in Calgary can contact their relatives in Canada. Friends and business companions can also become custodians if they meet the requirements above. If parents cannot find custodians for minor international students, they can contact the school or hire a provider of custodianship services in Calgary.

Declaration of Custodianship in Calgary

Once parents find the custodian for the minor, they must sign a Declaration of Custodianship in Calgary. Parents of international students ought to complete and notarize the first page, while the appointed custodian completes and notarizes the second page of the document.

To obtain a study permit, minor international students need to submit the study permit application along with the Declaration of Custodianship in Calgary. By the way, students can be admitted to Canadian schools without the arranged custodianship, but they cannot get a study permit without a complete declaration.

There are two types of custodianship in Calgary. The mandatory custodianship is related to minor students under 17 years old. They get a study permit if the officer in charge is satisfied with the official arrangements of the Declaration of Custodianship in Calgary.

The discretionary custodianship is related to minor students 17 to 18 years old. As a rule, officers in charge ask parents and international students to pass an interview and submit additional information. The level of education, independence, financial self-sufficiency, and travel experience of minor students also influence the decision on Custodianship in Calgary.

Responsibilities of Custodians

There are the following responsibilities of custodians under the Declaration of Custodianship in Calgary.

1. They must sign official documents on behalf of the minors’ parents.
2. Custodians ought to help international students in scheduling the school’s tests and admission interviews.
3. They should be mediators between the host families, schools, students, and parents.
4. Custodians need to attend school meetings and ask about the achievements of the minor students.
5. They ought to assist students with study permit renewals and send copies of documents to the school.
6. Custodians must make sure minor international students are properly treated by the school and community.
7. Custodians ought to inform the schools about their contact information updates.
8. They should assist with international students’ applications to post-secondary schools.
9. Custodians need to make sure minor students have valid health insurance.
10. They need to help the minor international students buy sim cards and get credit cards.

In case, if you need help with Custodianship & Homestay in Calgary, please fill in application below or contact us directly.