Policies affecting the ability of public school boards to recruit young international students to London

Officials who recruit international students to study at the region’s primary and secondary schools say Canada’s increasingly negative reputation abroad is affecting how many children decide to come here to study.

Before the pandemic, 470 students from kindergarten to grade 12 from dozens of countries came to study at Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) schools, earning just over $6 million in tuition for the 2019-2020 school year. said Sarah Leeming, who oversees the international student program for the board.

The university has 247 students this year, and another 30 to 35 may be coming for the second semester, Leeming said.

“We’re excited to have over 20 different countries represented, so we’re expanding our diversity,” she said. The top three are China, Korea and Vietnam.

But in an increasingly competitive market, the perception that Canada and Ontario are not welcoming international students means returning to pre-pandemic levels has not been easy, Leeming said.

“Over the past few years, Canada has unfortunately suffered reputational damage in terms of welcoming international students. Federal and provincial policies don’t really impact international students in K to 12, but the reputation is what it is.”

Tuition is $14,500 a year for elementary school and $15,000 for high school, plus a $250 enrollment fee and a third-party health insurance plan that costs $500, Leeming said.

Most foreign students are in high school. Children under 12 years of age must live with a parent or relative.

Lucas, Bunting and Montcalm high schools have the most high school students, while Masonville, Stony Creek and Stonybrook public schools have the most elementary school children.

Leeming said students learn about London from older siblings who study here, or from international recruiters hired to sell the school board to families wanting to send their children somewhere. This year, 67 percent of students were referred by education agents.

Students live with families who receive compensation of $1,000 per month and are screened for similar interests, dynamics and daily routines.

“Accepting a high school student is different than accepting an international postsecondary student,” Leeming said. “They are young. They need love and care, and someone to make sure they do their homework and turn off their phone so they can go to sleep. They become part of family life.”

Upon arrival, students have their English and math skills assessed at One World and are then assigned to schools within their home boundaries, Leeming said.

“The big advantage of this region is its connections to higher education. We often get students who want to go to college or university, but want to spend a year or two in high school to get on their feet and learn academically. culture before they go to higher education.”

Leeming said ideally the school board wants to admit between 400 and 480 international students per year.

“This is not just a source of income. We in Canada don’t do a very good job of sending our students on international experiences. It’s simply not built into our academic culture, so the next best option is if our students don’t go, seeking international experience means exposing it to the world. This fosters deeper global connections.”

The London District Catholic Schools Board was unable to provide figures on the number of international students at the time of publication.