Homestay in Vancouver

Homestay in Vancouver

When international students are accepted to educational institutions in Vancouver, the next step is to find the perfect accommodation for them. Often, parents choose a homestay in Vancouver since students live with an approved family who takes care of them. It is worth starting with the overview of the city and proceeding with the discussion of homestay in Vancouver.

Overview of Vancouver

Vancouver is a major city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. Its total area is 115.18 km2, with a population of 662,248 people. Vancouver is one of the most diverse cities in the country, with about 30 percent of the residents of Chinese heritage. Other significant ethnic groups are Filipinos, Latin Americans, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Indonesians, and Cambodians.

Vancouver is one of the biggest industrial centers in the country, with the Port of Vancouver, transcontinental highway, and railway routes. The largest industry in the city is forestry, while tourism is the second-largest industry. The city is also a center for aerospace, software development, biotechnology, and video game development.

Vancouver is an urban center surrounded by stunning landscapes. Hence, major film production studios in Vancouver and nearby Burnaby have turned the Greater Vancouver area into one of the biggest film production centers in North America, earning the nickname “Hollywood North.”

Secondary and Post-Secondary Schools in Vancouver

According to recent data, nearly 1,500 international students attend the city’s public schools, and three-fourths of them choose a homestay in Vancouver. The Vancouver School Board is the second-largest school district in British Columbia. The district manages 119 schools, which include elementary schools, secondary schools, adult education centers, and Vancouver Learning Network schools.

In the district, secondary education begins at Grade 8 and continues to Grade 12, where students earn a Dogwood Diploma. The Vancouver School Board operates 18 secondary schools. The best schools for international students, which provide options for homestay in Vancouver, are John Oliver Secondary School, Eric Hamber Secondary School, Kitsilano Secondary School, Sir Charles Tupper Secondary School, and Magee Secondary School.

The Conseil scolaire francophone de la Colombie-Britannique administers three Francophone schools in the city: école Rose-des-vents, école Anne-Hébert, and école secondaire Jules-Verne.

About 10 percent of all students in the city attend the 46 independent schools with partial provincial funding. The best schools that welcome international students and help with a homestay in Vancouver are Bodwell Academy, Century High School, Collingwood School, Crofton House School, and Fraser Academy.

International students who attend post-secondary can also find a homestay in Vancouver. The metropolitan area hosts five public universities. The most prestigious schools are the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University. The University of British Columbia ranks among the 20 best schools in Canada and the top 50 in the world. Simon Fraser University is the top comprehensive school in Canada and ranks among the 300 best public schools in the world. The other public universities around Vancouver are Emily Carr University of Art and Design, Capilano University, and Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

Vancouver Community College, Douglas College, and Langara College are publicly funded colleges in Vancouver. There is also the British Columbia Institute of Technology which provides polytechnic education. The Vancouver Film School offers one-year programs in film production and video game design.

By the way, during a homestay in Vancouver, international students can attend private institutions, such as UOPX Canada, NYIT Canada, Trinity Western University, University Canada West, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Columbia College, and Sprott Shaw College.

Overview of Homestay in Vancouver

A homestay in Vancouver provider is an organization or agency that arranges accommodation for international students. The homestay can be provided by the school, school district, post-secondary school, or a third-party organization. School districts and post-secondary schools can offer homestay in Vancouver using three different administrative models.

1. They run their homestay programs.
2. Some districts and schools cooperate with providers of homestay in Vancouver.
3. They have a list of homestay providers for parents and international students.

Private companies and websites can offer homestay in Vancouver, but they might not have a relationship with K-12 school districts or post-secondary institutions. Parents and international students who consider working with private agencies or placing the student with relatives ought to consult with the school district or post-secondary school before making their decision. The international student program of educational institutions may have policies or information directly relating to these situations.

Requirements for the Host Family

Each homestay in Vancouver provider must comply with the International Student Homestay Guidelines of the British Columbia Ministry of Education. Their key responsibility is to maintain a homestay screening process for host families and international students to determine their suitability. The host family screening process must include several actions.

1. The host family needs to pass a home inspection and host parent interviews.
2. All adult household members ought to pass a criminal records check.
3. The homestay in Vancouver provider must gather appropriate and up-to-date personal records and contact information about the international student, parents, and the host family.
4. The homestay service provider should develop a comprehensive training program for new host families to ensure an understanding of best practices.
5. The homestay in Vancouver service must communicate with the student, school, host family, and parents and support each party.
6. The homestay service provider ought to have 24-hour seven days a week emergency contact for host families and international students.
7. The homestay provider should offer conflict resolution services to both the international student and host family.
8. The homestay service provider must maintain clear, published standards relating to a homestay in Vancouver, such as procedures for transferring students to another host family.
9. They ought to develop separate reference manuals for host families and international students that include relevant legislation, standards, and procedures. Handbooks should also have fee information, including Terms of Agreement, monthly homestay fees, services included with fees, additional fees, and a refund policy.
10. The homestay in Vancouver service provider needs to ensure international students have access to a qualified officer who speaks their primary languages.

Responsibilities of Host Family

To promote the best possible homestay in Vancouver experience for international students, the host family should follow several rules.

1. They ought to provide a caring and supportive environment for international students.
2. Host parents must be above 25 years old and speak English or French at home.
3. They need to abide by all rules and guidelines established by the homestay program provider.
4. The host family ought to ensure the house is safe and complies with the British Columbia Building Code.
5. They must provide a clean and tidy home with a private furnished bedroom, access to a study area, a bathroom, laundry facilities, and the Internet.
6. The host family needs to assist the student in seeking extracurricular activities and sports.
7. They must set a reasonable curfew and house rules for the student.
8. The host family ought to inform the school if the international student drinks alcohol or breaks the law.

Responsibilities of International Students

International students who come to study in Canada and take part in a homestay in Vancouver program must abide by all rules established by the program provider and a host family.

1. They need to engage with the school and the host family and find opportunities to become involved in community and family life.
2. International students ought to communicate significant issues or concerns to the host family, parent, custodian, school principal, or homestay program provider.
3. The school district or post-secondary school may require the international student to change homestay in Vancouver if accommodation that has been arranged privately is deemed to be unsafe or unsuitable.
4. International students must respect and be responsible toward the homestay home and property.

Homestay Fees in Vancouver

During homestay in Vancouver, international students need to pay a fixed fee for a private room, meals, family support, and various cultural experiences. On average, homestay in the city costs 850 to 1,200 CAD per month. The homestay fee depends on the number of meals, facilities, and supplementary services.

 

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