Custodianship in Victoria

Custodianship in Victoria

When parents consider Canada as a study destination for minor international students, they should learn more about Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. It is one of the most beautiful and affordable cities to live in Canada. Moreover, Victoria offers various study opportunities for international students. However, parents need to know that children who are not accompanied by parents ought to have a custodianship in Victoria. In the city of Victoria, students who are less than 19 years old are called minors. Under Canadian immigration law, minor international students who wish to pursue education in the country must apply for a study permit and provide the Declaration of Custodianship in Victoria.

Overview of Victoria

Before discussing custodianship in Victoria, it is worth discovering the peculiarities of the city. Named after Queen Victoria, the city is one of the oldest in Canada, with British settlement beginning in 1843. Now, Victoria spans 19.47 km2 of Vancouver Island, and its total population is 91,867 residents. According to the recent census, the citizens have the following ethnic origins: English, Scottish, Irish, Canadian, German, French, Dutch, Chinese, Ukrainian, Welsh, and several others.

The main industries of the city are technology, education, retail, federal and provincial government administration, and tourism. Victoria has many historic buildings. The most famous among them are the Empress Hotel and the Parliament Buildings. Moreover, the city’s Chinatown is the second oldest in North America, after San Francisco’s. The narrowest street in Canada, Fan Tan Alley, is also in Victoria.

Victoria is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country, with hundreds of kilometres of cycle paths, bike lanes and routes, such as the outstanding Galloping Goose Regional Trail. Victoria is also known as the City of Gardens due to its perfect growing climate. The city has had a flower count since the 1970s. This year, the total blooms were over 3.5 billion. Hence, international students have many sights to explore during their study and custodianship in Victoria.

Secondary and Post-Secondary Schools in Victoria

Usually, minor international students are admitted to educational institutions beginning from secondary school, which runs grades 9 to 12. Now, it is worth determining the best schools in the city. The Greater Victoria School District operates all public schools in Victoria. However, the city has only one public secondary school, Victoria High School. International students can also consider the schools within the Greater Victoria area, such as Lambrick Park Secondary School, Mount Douglas Secondary School, Oak Bay High School, Esquimalt High School, and Spectrum Community School. Students who want to study in a school with French as a medium of instruction can apply to the École Victor-Brodeur.

The mentioned schools require custodianship in Victoria for minor international students. The school administration can even ask to arrange custodianship in Victoria when minor international students are accompanied by their parents. Still, this question is better to discuss with the chosen school.

In their turn, post-secondary educational institutions also require custodianship in Victoria for international students under 19 years old since and also simultaneously the decision is at the discretion of the immigration officer. The city has three public post-secondary schools: Camosun College, the University of Victoria, and Royal Roads University. There are also several private post-secondary institutions, including Pacific Rim College, Sprott Shaw College, the Chinese School in Chinatown, Victoria College of Art, and Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific.

Overview of Custodianship in Victoria

When you know the peculiarities of the city and decide where to study, you ought to discover custodianship in Victoria in more detail. It is a legal arrangement between parents and custodians that shows the custodian’s commitment to representing the minor’s interests during their study in Canada. To become the custodian, the person ought to fulfill five requirements.

1. They need to be citizens or permanent residents of Canada over 21 years old.
2. Custodians should speak English, French, or both languages well.
3. They must live close to the school and place of residence of the minor international student.
4. Custodians ought to be available to minors 24 hours, seven days a week.

Parents who do not have the opportunity to accompany their children and need help with custodianship in Victoria can contact their relatives in Canada. Business associates and close friends can also qualify if they meet the requirements of custodianship in Victoria. As an option, parents can contact the school or hire a local provider of custodianship services to help find a custodian for their children.

Responsibilities of Custodians and Minor International Students

Custodians have several responsibilities under the custodianship in Victoria.

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

Minor international students also have several responsibilities under the custodianship in Victoria.

1. They must have a valid study permit and health insurance while living and studying in Canada.
2. Minor students need to arrive in Canada at least two weeks before the school year begins to finish registration.
3. They ought to attend all their classes and have satisfactory academic standing.
4. Minor international students should fulfill the behaviour expectations of the school and community.
5. They must regularly talk to the custodian and inform them about any problems or challenges.

Declaration of Custodianship in Victoria

When parents find the custodian for the minor student, they ought to sign a Declaration of Custodianship in Victoria. Parents complete and notarize the first page, while the appointed custodian fills out and notarizes the second page of the document. Then, the complete Declaration of Custodianship in Victoria is sent to the minor international student. They must provide the document with the study permit application. Canadian schools usually admit international students without the appointed custodian, but Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada does not issue a study permit without the Declaration of Custodianship in Victoria.

Types of the Declaration of Custodianship in Victoria

When the immigration officer is satisfied with the custodianship arrangements, minor international students get a study permit. There are two types of Declaration of Custodianship in Victoria depending on the age of the international students. Those who are under 17 years old are required to have an appointed custodian. This is called a mandatory custodianship. The officer reviews the study permit application and decides whether the arranged custodianship in Victoria acts in the interests of the minor international student.

The necessity of custodianship in Victoria for international students 17 to 19 years old is determined on a case-by-case basis. This is called discretionary custodianship. Immigration officers often ask international students and their parents to pass an interview and submit additional documents. The decision on discretionary custodianship in Victoria is based on several factors.

1. International students who attend secondary educational institutions must have custodians, while post-secondary students may not have the arranged custodianship.
2. Officers check the student’s previous travel experience and international exchange programs.
3. They evaluate the minor’s level of independence, such as accommodation and financial self-sufficiency, outside of parents’ support.
4. Officers determine the parents’ accessibility in case of emergencies.
5. They assess informal custodian arrangements during the study of minor international students in Canada.

 

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