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International Student/Visitor Guidlines
We want you to have the best possible homestay experience. Please spend some time reading over our guidelines and responsibilities which are in place to make your homestay experience an enjoyable one.
- Always ask questions if you are not sure about something. Your host family wants to help you and they understand that you may just be learning to speak in English.
- If you want to bring a friend home, please ask the host family in advance. You cannot bring a friend of the opposite sex into your bedroom.
- Please let the host family know if you will not be at home for a meal.
- Please telephone the host family if you will be later than expected.
- Telephone: Find out when you can receive telephone calls and for how long you can keep the host family's telephone busy. You must bring or buy a calling card for long distance calls and ask your host family's permission to use this card.
- Cleanliness: It is your responsibility to keep your own bedroom clean. You can help the family by clearing your plates from the table but you are not expected to do home chores such as babysitting, house cleaning, gardening etc.
- Bathroom: If you are sharing a bathroom with other family members, please find out when it is the best time to shower and for how long. It is your responsibility to provide your own personal hygiene items (shampoo, body wash, and toothpaste). The host family will supply you with a towel.
- Laundry: You are required to do your own laundry. Please ask you host family how and when you can wash your clothes.
- Medical Insurance: You must have medical insurance and show proof to your host family upon arrival.
- Dial 911 on the telephone in case of EMERGENCY.
- If you have any concerns that you cannot discuss with your host family, please contact Hospitalite Canada and/or your parents or your guardian as soon as possible.
- If you accompany your host family on holidays, outings or trips, you must pay for your travel arrangements, admission tickets and personal expenses. The host family will pay for food and accommodation.
- Canadian multicultural society is what you will experience on a daily basis. We make sure that we accept families that are willing to speak English with the student at all times in order to improve the student's English language skill.
- As a Muliticultural County, international students participating in homestay must accept possible differences between their own family and their host family. Examples to be aware of are: the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Women's rights, freedom of speech, environmental protection and animal rights.
- You are expected to speak English in your homestay at all times with the exception of making long distance phone calls to your family in your country.
Guidelines for Host Families
When you are hosting a student or a visitor, you become an ambassador of our beautiful country. This is a wonderful opportunity to open your home to a visitor from another country and to expose your family to the chance to learn about another culture. Canadian families are kind, hospitable, and do not need to be reminded of their responsibilities. However, we have set the following guidelines for all host families to adhere to, as we set guidelines for the student or visitor, in order to make the best possible homestay experience for everyone.
- The homestay family should avoid treating the student as a tenant by making the student feel welcome and a part of the family. The host family must be tolerant of the student's foreign customs and habits. Remember to always be understanding, and have patience with the student .
- During the student stay, the host family is required to show the student how to get to school as well as other places of interest such as the library, shopping centres, and attractions and how to use public transportation.
- The student must be provided with a nice clean private room with basic furniture such as:
- Comfortable bed (including linen, blanket and pillows)
- Night table, lamp, and alarm clock/radio
- Work desk with chair and desk lamp with sufficient lighting
- Bureau, closet and mirror
- A window in the room in order to escape in case of emergency
- Three nutritious meals must be provided daily. The meals, especially dinner, should be served in a family gathering and the student must feel welcome to the table at all times. Healthy snacks such as yogurt, fresh fruits, milk, juice, tea/coffee etc. need to be accessible to the student. No alcohol is to be offered to the student or visitor. If the family is unable to be at home for dinner, the family must leave a meal for the student with instructions on how to heat it. If the student will be home late, please leave a plate for them to heat up upon arrival home.
- Only one student or visitor is allowed per room, unless there is a special request by the homestay applicant for shared accommodation or by the homestay director.
- The host family must make sure that the student has a quiet environment in order to study, sleep and rest. If the host family has children, it is a good idea to let the children know that the student's bedroom is off limits (as are your bedrooms off limits for the student).
- The host family must speak English with, and while in the presence of the student.
- Under no circumstances is the host family to accept or request any favors from the student such as house cleaning (other than their own bedroom), shopping, gardening, baby sitting, etc…
- As you should have insurance for passengers in your car, you should also have sufficient home and liability insurance in place. Please review your home insurance policy or consult with your insurance provider for details. Hospitalité Canada does not assume any responsibilities for any injuries suffered by the student while in the host family's care.
- If the host family has any concerns that they cannot discuss directly with the student or visitor, please contact Hospitalité Canada as soon as possible.
- Host Families must provide the student with their own house key.
- If student's are under the age of 11 yrs. they are not allowed to be left unattended at home.
- If a homestay student accompanies their host family on holidays, outings, or trips, the host family must pay for accommodation and food. The student must pay for his or her own travel arrangements, admission tickets, or personal expenses. If the student will not join the host family, he or she must not be left alone. Alternate homestay arrangements must be made, paid for by the host family, and approved by Hospitalité Canada..
- Students are advised to purchase their own long distance pre-paid card or to make collect calls. Hospitalité Canada will not assume any responsibility regarding long distance charges.
- It is up to the host family discretion whether or not you allow the student to use your home computer and internet.
- The host family should do the laundry for students, or familiarize them with the use of washer and dryer, so they can do their own laundry.
- In order to make the students feel welcome and comfortable in your home, please take time to explain your family routines and Canadian customs to them.
- Host family must explain to the student or visitor how to evacuate the home in case of an emergency. The home must have functioning fire smoke detectors on every floor. Explain to the student how to use 911 in case of emergency.
- All members of the family must be willing to accept and host a student or visitor. Please make sure that all members of your family agree and are not just going along with the idea of hosting a student.
- While the student can be invited to attend religious services, the family should not apply any pressure to do so. The family should learn about the student's beliefs and culture, and respect them. The family should always be willing to direct the student to his or her religion's place of worship if required. A host family must always respect the religious beliefs of the student.
- Inform Hospitalité Canada of all other students or guests in the home, including those who move in after the student arrives.
- Contact Hospitalité Canada if problems arise and work together with the Coordinator towards a common solution
- Hospitalité Canada reserves the right to move the student for any reason. The host family must immediately refund the balance of the unused period of time. Please note, moving a student does not mean the termination of the homestay provider and Hospitalité Canada
- Should a host family like to terminate a homestay occupancy or reservation the host family must give Hospitalité Canada two weeks notice to make alternate homestay arrangements.
- Hospitalité Canada neither guarantees nor promises occupancy to the host family. Hospitalité Canada placement is based on supply and demand.
- Hospitalité Canada does not allow any discrimination against students.
Upon a successful inspection by Hospitalité Canada, the host family applicant must provide a one-time criminal record check for our files. Hospitalité Canada will provide you with the paperwork.
Hospitalité Canada will facilitate this homestay arrangement, but it cannot
be held responsible for disputes that may arise between families and students.
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