Hosts
Our company specializes in providing top-quality homestay to several 'types' of international students. They can be broadly grouped into three types, based on their ages, the focus of their programs and the length of their stay:
1. Groups
Our groups, just like all of our students, come from all over the world. Groups are often high-school age, but can also be adults or working professionals. They may be placed in homes as singles, pairs or sometimes even as triples. The daily remuneration varies with every group, depending on several factors.
The common theme among all our groups is that they are short in duration (most range from 2 days to 2 weeks, though some last several months). Therefore, the focus is on the homestay experience and integration into Canadian culture (rather than an academic experience)- although most students do attend school or another organized program every week day.
Hosting for a group is a fantastic way to try hosting if you are a new host, or if your schedule or lifestyle is not conducive to a long-term student. It is a fun way to get to know your own community again, as you often get to 'play tourist' with your student(s).
2. Academic Year Programs (AYP)
These students are all high-school age (generally 14-18) and come from many different countries including Brazil, Japan, Korea, Germany, Spain, China, Italy, Nigeria, Czech and Russia. They attend a public or private high school for one or two semesters, and sometimes stay for a few years to complete their schooling in Canada. Remuneration varies depending on the community, but tend to follow generally accepted standards for monthly hosting in that area.
These students are here to gain academic credit in high school, and attend English-language classes with their Canadian counterparts. They usually have an ESL class as part of their curriculum. On top of adjusting to culture shock of living in Canada, these students are teenagers- and most of them have never left home before. There are unique challenges to hosting an AYP student, but the rewards are immense. The strength of the bonds you can form with these young people are tremendous and can last a lifetime.
3. Independent Language Schools, Universities and Colleges
At the moment, we work with several independent schools in urban centres. The students who attend these schools have a range of choices for their programs and specialties, but they are all here to improve their English. They are all adults (over 18) with very few exceptions. We have placed students from over 35 different countries in the last 12 years.
The length of stay for ILS students is usually a minimum of 1 month, but there a few programs that are shorter than this. Most students tend to come for 1-6 months, with some staying up to a year. The peak season for our ILS business is in the summer months. Remuneration varies depending on where you live, the student's nationality, chosen meal plan, and other special requests. Rates are competitive and tend to follow generally accepted standards for monthly hosting in these cities.
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