Pre-Departure Guide
for WUSC Sponsored
Students
Almost Everything You Wanted to Know
about Living and Learning in Canada
but were Afraid to Ask
published by
World University Service of Canada
© revised 2007
Acknowledgements
Much of the work on this orientation booklet comes from previous orientation handbooks developed for the WUSC
Student Refugee Program. Therefore, we would like to extend
our gratitude in particular all former WUSC sponsored students and as well as former and current staff who shared their
knowledge and experience for the making of this guide.
For more information, please contact:
Student Refugee Program
World University Service of Canada
1404 Scott Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1Y 4M8
Tel: (613) 798-7477
or 1-800-267-8699
Fax: (613) 798-0990
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.wusc.ca
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Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
Table of Contents
Foreword
........................................................
1
Chapter 1 — Student Refugee Program: WUSC Sponsorship
Members of a Sponsoring Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Uniqueness of each WUSC Sponsorship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Goals of the Student Refugee Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Roles and responsibilities under the SRP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Processing Timelines for the WUSC Sponsorship Program . . . . . . . . . . .
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Chapter 2 — Travelling to Canada
What to Bring With You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What not bring to Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
'Landing' in Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
What to do at the airport if your Sponsoring Group is not there . . . . . . .
Permanent Resident Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
Settling in — the first few weeks in Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
First Few Weeks — What You Can Expect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Accommodation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Food
........................................................
Health Care and SIN Registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Orientation to the College or University . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Chapter 3 — Academic Issues
Some Facts about Canada's Education System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Canadian Education System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Transfer of credits from previous college or university . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Number of Courses That Can Be Taken . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Services on Campus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Class Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .
Program Transfers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Transferring Universities or Colleges After the Sponsorship Period . . . . .
School Semesters/Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Chapter 4 — Canadian Characteristics and Customs
Understanding Canadians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Climate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
General Weather Information and Seasons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Basic Facts about Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
A brief history . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Canada's National Anthem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Africans in Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Table of Contents
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Chapter 5 — Adaptation and Culture Shock
Canadian Culture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Culture Shock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Stages of 'Culture Shock' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Coping After Traumatic Experiences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
People to Talk To for Counselling and to Find out about Services . . . . . .
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Chapter 6 — Money Matters
Budgeting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tuition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Accommodation and meals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Clothing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Household Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Textbooks and School Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Personal Allowance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Transportation in Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Travel Loan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Sending Money Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Credit Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bank Account . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Chapter 7 — Daily Matters
Communication Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Telephone Costs and Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Phone Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
E-mail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Postal Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Buying Food. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . .
Common Names for Social Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Shopping for Clothes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Chapter 8 — Health Care
Signing Up For Provincial Health Care Coverage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Interim Federal Health Coverage (IFH) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Dental Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hospitals, Private Doctor Clinics and Walk-in Health Clinics . . . . . . . . .
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Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
Chapter 9 — After the One-year Sponsorship
Financing Your Education After the Initial Year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Government Student Loans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Summer/Part-time Employment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Summer Employment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scholarships and Bursaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Permanent Employment Prospects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Volunteering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Becoming a Canadian Citizen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Immigration of Other Family Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Participation in WUSC Activities After the Sponsorship Period . . . . . . .
National and International Orgazations Working with Refugees . . . . . . .
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Appendices
1–Pre-Arrival Checklists for the Sponsoring Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2–Preparing a Resumé for Employment in Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3–WUSC Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4–WUSC SRP Resource Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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Table of Contents
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Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
Foreword
H
ello and welcome to the World University Service of Canada's
(WUSC) Pre-Departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored
Students. The objective of this guide is to help you to prepare for
your travel to Canada, to explain the nature of the WUSC Student Refugee
Program (SRP), and to offer you general information regarding Canada and
your sponsorship. Part of the reason for putting together this guide is that
sponsored students tend to have very high expectations of their life in Canada.
Canada is indeed a prosperous, democratic country, but life in Canada can be
very difficult and resettling here requires many adjustments. It is hoped that
the guide gives you a clearer and more realistic view of the sponsorship and
what you can expect in coming to Canada.
There are many subjects covered in this guide. Over the years we have
asked several previously sponsored students and sponsoring groups about
what they think should be included in the guide as valuable information.
Everyone who responded had different ideas of what information is important
to know before leaving for Canada and during the initial few months after
having arrived. For these reasons, we have tried to incorporate as much
information as possible. We have included quotes and advice written by past
sponsored students, and these should give you additional insight into the
subjects covered in the guide.
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Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
Chapter 1
Student Refugee Program (SRP):
WUSC Sponsorship
W
USC's refugee sponsorship began because
WUSC believes that
effective action must be taken on
behalf of student refugees by the
international academic community.
For this reason, in 1978, WUSC
signed an agreement with the
Governament of Canada to co-ordinate a program that allows groups on
university and college campuses to
sponsor refugees to re-settle to
Canada. Each group, called a
Sponsoring Group (SG) under the
WUSC program, raises funds to
provide the means for a student to
resettle to Canada as a permanent
resident and to attend university or
college for one year.
A Sponsoring Group, sometimes
referred to as a Local Committee,
does more than provide support for
one or two individuals. Groups often
campaign and advocate as other
human rights or social justice organisations do - to raise awareness,
fundraise, lobby or educate, with the
goal to focus attention on refugee or
development issues and the interconnectedness of local and global issues.
This is a very important part of
WUSC's public awareness campaigns.
As Sponsoring Groups work
through the sponsorship process,
they often become more and more
acutely aware of issues facing refugees
and immigrants who come to
Canada, and of the situations and
circumstances that prompted a person to become a refugee. This knowl-
WUSC Sponsorship
edge motivates some groups to
organise campus-based education
activities relating to refugees, international relations and development.
These types of activities are not only
educational for those who research,
plan and organise them, but for the
wider public as well.
To date, almost 1000 student
refugees have been sponsored by over
80 WUSC groups at universities and
colleges throughout Canada. Each
year between 40 and 45 students are
sponsored through the program.
Participants have come from over 29
countries world-wide.
Members of a Sponsoring
Group
A WUSC Sponsoring Group is
made up of students, and sometimes
of faculty members or staff, at a college or university. They have signed a
contract with WUSC Ottawa and
the Government of Canada to undertake the private sponsorship of a
refugee student for at least one year.
Members of a Sponsoring Group
raise financial support through their
university/college administration,
student unions and fundraising
events.
Uniqueness of Each WUSC
Sponsorship
Some of the WUSC sponsoring
groups and institutions are located in
large urban cities, such as Toronto
and Montreal, but others are in small
communities in more remote areas.
The forty or so students who are
sponsored every year live in different
communities across the country.
Canada is a large and very diverse
country. That means each sponsorship experience is shaped by the academic institution, the geography and
culture of the place, as well as by the
support and friendship given by the
sponsoring group. It is very important to remember that support varies
from one institution to another and
that each sponsorship is unique.
Goals of the Student Refugee
Program
The goals of the SRP are to:
1. Encourage a greater understanding
of refugee issues, human rights
and international development
among Canadian students and faculty;
2. Assist students, whose studies
have been interrupted or restricted
because of events in their country
of origin, to come to Canada in
order to resume their studies;
3. Seek the commitment and cooperation of Canadian academic
institutions by way of grants, fee
waivers and accommodation assistance; and
4. Provide a means whereby socially
conscious student groups can work
towards solidarity within the global academic community.
The staff at the WUSC Ottawa
office co-ordinate and manage the
program but the main support a
sponsored student receives is from
his/her sponsoring group on campus.
3
Roles and Responsibilities under the SRP
The following is an outline of the
roles and responsibilities of participants in the WUSC Student Refugee
Program. The roles will become clearer to you once you are in Canada.
The Sponsored Student must:
submit an application to WUSC
from his/her country of asylum;
monitor his/her application by
corresponding regularly with
WUSC’s local partner organizations in his/her country of asylum;
undergo necessary language tests,
and medical and security checks to
pass Canadian immigration
requirements;
once in Canada, participates with
the Sponsoring Group to plan
his/her immediate and long-term
future;
answer evaluation questionnaires
sent by WUSC Ottawa;
take the necessary steps to become
independent once the sponsorship
period (normally one year) is over.
WUSC Sponsorship Program Staff
in Ottawa
As the organization that holds the
Sponsorship Agreements with the
Canadian and Quebec Governments,
WUSC Ottawa's major roles are to:
facilitate the selection and placement of refugee students at postsecondary institutions; and to
guide, train, support and monitor
the Sponsoring Groups to ensure
support to the sponsored student.
WUSC Ottawa staff also:
review applications, conduct interviews with potential candidates,
and provide orientation materials
4
to incoming students;
provide liaison between the various
organisations involved in the
WUSC program;
provide organisational assistance,
advice, information and training to
the Sponsoring Groups;
network with other refugee and
immigrant agencies;
monitor and evaluate the program;
report to Citizenship and
Immigration Canada, WUSC's
Board of Directors and WUSC's
membership.
by submitting regular reports,
inform the WUSC staff of any
challenges the sponsored student
may be facing.
Once a student is placed at the institution, the Sponsoring Group must:
Sponsoring Group
The primary objective of the
Sponsoring Group once the sponsored student has arrived is to provide
the emotional, moral and financial
support to the sponsored student to
enable her/him to become independent after the end of the one-year
WUSC sponsorship. A Sponsoring
Group has to be flexible, adaptable
and responsive. The Sponsoring
Group must:
form a group of people who commit to the sponsorship and who
agree to provide the student with
financial, emotional and social support for the duration of the sponsorship;
research and establish a reasonable
budget;
raise funds to support the student
for one year (or longer, as the case
may be);
secure the support of the university
or college;
review students' files for admission
requirements and ensure that the
selected student meets the university or college requirements;
prepare and deliver an orientation
for the student;
help the student access resources
and services at the university or
college and in the wider community;
help the student become independent by providing support and
information;
assist the next year's Sponsoring
Group members by explaining the
details of its institution-specific
sponsoring program.
University or College Administration
A member of the institution’s administration must:
review student's qualifications with
the Sponsoring Group and determine eligibility for admissions;
provide on-campus advisors to
counsel the student on academic,
financial and other issues.
Citizenship and Immigration
Canada (CIC)
Officials at overseas CIC offices (usually attached to a Canadian High
Commission):
open the students' file;
interview candidates to determine
their eligibility for immigration to
Canada;
organize medical and security
checks, issue visas and authorise
travel loans;
liaise with International
Organization for Migration (IOM)
Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
offices to organize travel to
Canada.
liaise with the Government of
Quebec for people settling in
Quebec.
Local Canadian (and Quebec)
Immigration Offices
manage the repayment of students' travel loans;
provide information regarding
immigration to Canada;
provide information about local
agencies and services that are
available for new immigrants and
refugees to Canada.
Overseas Partner Organisations
in Countries of Asylum:
act as a liaison between WUSC
Ottawa, the students, IOM, and
the overseas immigration offices;
assist with interviewing candidates, organising language proficiency tests and delivering predeparture orientations.
WUSC Sponsorship
Processing timelines for the
WUSC Sponsorship Program
It can take between 14 and 24
months to be processed for the
WUSC SRP if you are accepted
under eligibility criteria by WUSC,
the academic institution, and
Immigration Canada.
The length of time from when you
apply to the program to the date
you leave for Canada depends on a
number of factors:
Immigration procedures: getting
through security and medical
checks;
for Anglophone candidates,
TOEFL test timelines;
Canadian university or college
calendar semesters. Usually
sponsored students arrive in
August to begin school in
September when the semester
starts, or else in December to
begin classes in January;
other unpredictable factors such
as world events influencing
immigration processing.
WUSC’s Student Refugee
Program
Is unique in that it is the only private sponsorship program in
Canada that includes one year of
post-secondary studies at a
Canadian college or university. It
is also unique in that the sponsoring group members are students
and faculty at these institutions.
Being sponsored through the
WUSC program means that you
enter into a legal agreement with
WUSC, your SG and the
Canadian government. It means
that you have to live in the town
or city where your sponsoring
group is located and remain in
school for the duration of 12
months.
5
Chapter 2
Travelling to Canada
Before you Travel to Canada, you will have:
Submitted an application form to WUSC;
Taken English language tests (TOEFL) if necessary (not for
Francophone students);
What not to bring to Canada
Undergone an interview with WUSC representatives;
Had an interview with Canadian Immigration officials and undergone
necessary medical tests;
Received an official acceptance letter from WUSC;
'Landing' in Canada
Had a pre-departure orientation in your country of asylum.
You will be interviewed by an
Immigration official at the first place
you land in Canada. Most international flights land in some of
Canada's largest cities: Toronto,
Montreal, Halifax and Vancouver.
Upon arrival in Canada, you will
pass through Canadian Immigration,
present your travel documents and
fill in a 'landed' card. Once you
arrive at your final destination and
have passed through Canadian
Customs and Immigration, you will
proceed to the luggage retrieval area.
Your Sponsoring Group will meet
you after you have passed through
customs and immigration. If you
have to take a connecting flight, find
out from an airport or immigration
official where to go for domestic
flights. Find out too if you have to
retrieve your baggage or if it has
gone directly to your final destination. In most cases, you will be
helped by immigration or airport
officials and all of this will become
clearer when you arrive. Don't be shy
though, people will be happy to help
you if you ask questions.
What to Bring With You
These items should be packed in
your carry-on luggage and you
should keep it with you at all times.
Y
our journey to Canada will
usually take between 1-3
days depending on where
you are coming from, how many
places you stop in between, and your
final destination in Canada.
If you arrive in Canada and there
are no connecting flights to your
final destination, you may end up
staying in a hotel for one night and
then you will catch a flight the next
day. The Immigration officials will
make the arrangements for you; they
will take you to a hotel and pick you
up the next day.
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plants, seeds
animal products (such as ivory,
skins, furs)
firearms
Immigration papers from the
Canadian Immigration officials
Certificat de Sélection du Québec
(CSQ) if you are going to Québec
contact names and phone numbers of your sponsoring group
and WUSC Ottawa
original transcripts and all original
documents related to your previous studies
other identity papers
contact information for friends
and family (so that you can stay
in touch after you resettle)
important personal items (such as
photographs, letters, music cassettes, etc.)
some US dollars for use in transit
and in emergencies
Pre-departure Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
What to Do at the Airport if
Your Sponsoring Group is
not There
i.e. the time in the Quebec and
Ontario time zone.
WUSC Ottawa makes every effort
to co-ordinate with CIC and IOM
on when you will be arriving, and to
share this information with your
Sponsoring Group. Sponsoring
Group members are aware well in
advance of the approximate date you
will be arriving and therefore make
plans to be available to meet you.
However, if you are not met by anyone, find an immigration or airport
official and explain that you are
waiting for your Sponsoring Group
and would like to make a phone call.
If you have the phone number for
the main contact person in your
Sponsoring Group, you should call
him/her directly. If that person is
not there, you can also call WUSC
Ottawa. There is an emergency
phone number (listed below) and a
staff person will try to contact members of your Sponsoring Group for
you.
If you do not have Canadian
coins with you, you will either have
to get money changed at the airport
or you can call WUSC’s 1-800
number which is free of charge. Go
to any phone booth and dial the 1800 number directly.
Permanent Resident Card
Monday to Friday (9 am–5 pm
EST*):
SRP, Senior Program Officer
1-800-267-8699, ext. 3680
SRP, Senior Program Officer
1-800-267-8699, ext. 3656
After 5 pm (EST*) and weekends:
WUSC Ottawa’s Emergency
Number
(in Ottawa) 1-613-294-4742 or
1-613-612-1008
*EST=Eastern Standard Time
Travelling to Canada
At the airport you will receive
forms to fill out for the Permanent
Residence Card. This will be one of
your main identity cards in Canada.
The card is required for all permanent residents to re-enter Canada
following international travel.
Settling In — The First
Few Weeks in Canada
Meeting your Sponsoring
Group
You will be greeted at the airport by
your Sponsoring Group when you
arrive in Canada. The Sponsoring
Group members will help you settle
into your residence or they will bring
you to a family's home for your first
couple of days or weeks in Canada.
We have encouraged sponsoring
groups to arrange for this type of
'home-stay' with a family so that you
meet people during your initial
adjustment period. Besides, the residences are generally empty until
school starts since most students live
off-campus during the summer
months.
The First Few Weeks —
What You Can Expect
In the first few weeks, you can
expect your Sponsoring Group to
help you:
call or e-mail a friend or relative
and WUSC Ottawa to let them
know you have arrived safely.
understand the nature of the
sponsorship, including information on your budget.
by showing you around campus
and the local community.
Advice from a previously sponsored
student on what to bring with you
“It's nice to bring music, family pictures,
and photographs of one's country.
These are things that we do not realize
we need when we are back home but
once we reach here we really need
them.”
settle into your student residence,
apartment or home-stay.
register for health care coverage
and get a Social Insurance
Number (SIN).
Your Sponsoring Group is given
useful checklists to guide them as
they help you with these, and other,
important activities. You could benefit by reading these checklists during
your first few weeks in Canada.
Please see Appendix 4 for copies of
these checklists.
Accommodation
By the time you arrive, your
Sponsoring Group will have
arranged your accommodation for
you. Most WUSC sponsored students will stay in a student residence
for their first year. Residences at
universities and colleges vary in
terms of size of room, and whether
they are single or double occupancy.
Most residences are all male or all
female but some are mixed. Most
offer furnished rooms, the use of
lounges, television rooms, study
rooms, washing facilities and
kitchens.
Some sponsored students are
housed in apartments, either alone
or with others. This all depends on
the arrangements the sponsoring
group has made with the university
or college, and whether or not resi7
dence is an option. Some people prefer living in an apartment because it
gives them more independence. Once
again, the type of housing you will be
living in depends on the particular
sponsorship at your institution and
what is available.
Food
Your sponsoring group will explain
to you how they have arranged for
your food. You will either have a
meal plan whereby you will eat your
meals in a cafeteria on campus, or
you will have to cook for yourself in
your residence or apartment. If you
don't already know how to cook, you
will learn. Your sponsoring group will
also make sure that you have enough
pots and kitchen utensils to enable
you to cook. They will also show you
where to shop for foods, including
foods that you are used to eating.
Health Care and SIN
Registration
With the help of your sponsoring
group, you will need to register for:
1. a Provincial Health Care card
that allows you to see a doctor or
go to the hospital for free;
2. a Social Insurance Number
(SIN) which allows you to work
legally and
8
3. Interim Federal Health (IFH).
This is a form of health care coverage that is separate from provincial
coverage plans. Refer to the CIC
website (www.cic.gc.ca) for more
information.
It is essential that you apply for a
SIN card as quickly as possible. This
is the main form of identification for
Canadian residents, and it is required
in order to work in Canada. It is also
useful as identification when opening
a bank account, etc. You should bring
your immigration papers along when
applying for the SIN card. A Social
Insurance Number is private and
should only be used for official pu
poses; in fact, it is a federal offence to
let another person use your SIN
card.
You can download the SIN application form from the Government of
Canada's Human Resources
Development Canada web site, at
http://www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca.
going to university or college.
Orientation sessions provide information on where facilities exist, how
to access services, etc.
Also in the first few weeks, you
will want to take the opportunity to
look around the campus and the city.
You should have a map, and your
sponsoring group should show you
around. Explore and get to know the
community in which you will be living as this will make life much easier
for you.
Make sure you ask questions.
Your sponsoring group doesn't necessarily know what information is
important to you.
Orientation to the College or
University
Prior to the beginning of university
or college classes, there may be an
orientation for you on campus.
Orientation sessions are meant for
international students on campus as
well as anyone who has just started
Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
Chapter 3
Academic Issues
S
tudents in the WUSC program enter university or
college at all different levels
depending on their age, level of
academic achievement, language
ability, programs offered at sponsoring group's institution, etc.
Students who come to Canada on
the WUSC program should be
ready to accept a lower level of
education than what they have
already achieved in their country
of origin or asylum.
are pursuing degrees on a parttime basis and at an older age.
Partly due to the fact that many
Canadians pursue a higher education, a university degree is only the
first step towards a career and, in
most cases, is no guarantee that
you will find a job in a particular
field.
Some Facts about Canada's
Education System
Canada has over 80 colleges and
universities.
Each province in Canada manages
its own education system.
Each university or college has its
own admissions requirements and
offers a wide range of programs.
The Canadian government has
school loan programs administered by the provinces which make
attending university or college feasible for those who wish to pursue
post-secondary education and
don't have the money to pay for it.
The majority of Canadian secondary school graduates go on to
some form of post-secondary education.
Approximately 20% of Canadian
adults have a university degree.
Increasing numbers of Canadians
The Canadian Education
System
Values individual thought.
Encourages students to ask lots of
questions.
Teaches students to think critically
and even challenge, in an appropriate manner, different views and
ideas (even of their professors).
Transfer of credits from
previous college or university
WUSC tries to place sponsored students at institutions which offer programs that are appropriate to the stu-
Thoughts of a previously sponsored student
“Do not rely solely on your advisor. He or she may not offer you all you need because
your background is unique and you may not communicate what you want precisely. Be
good at making friends who will assist you. Above all, those whom you know through
WUSC will be delighted to help you. Remember the secret of receiving is asking.”
Academic Issues
dents' previous education and, hopefully, preferred area of study.
However, due to major differences
between educational systems in
Canada and in other countries, it is
impossible to guarantee that the academic level at which a student is
placed is at the level the student
wishes to begin pursuing his/her
education in Canada.
In order to get as many credits as
possible transferred for university or
college courses you have already completed in your country of origin or
country of asylum, you should bring
as much material as you can (transcripts, syllabus, course descriptions,
term papers) with you in order to
show the Admissions office.
Even if you have been registered
for classes before arriving in Canada,
you can switch classes during the
first couple of weeks of school. There
are deadlines, however. The best person to speak to about this and all
academic issues is the academic advisor on campus. Talk to your
Sponsoring Group about making an
appointment with an advisor.
Number of Courses That Can
Be Taken
Each province administers its own
Student Loan program. This means
that each province has different rules
and regulations regarding the application and remittance of loans. Some
WUSC sponsored students, for
example those studying in Ontario,
can only study part-time during the
first year in order to qualify for a student loan the following year. This is a
provincial government requirement.
Part-time studies mean that students
take 1-2 courses per semester.
9
Services on Campus
Many services on campus are available free of charge. There will be
many students who will be attending
college or university for the first time
and they too will use these services.
Some of these services are —
academic advising/career counselling
language training
essay writing
exam preparation
job search skills: resume writing,
interview preparation
library user sessions
psychological counselling
medical services
computer training
Class Size
At university or college, class sizes
can range from 15 to 1,000 students
in one class. First year classes usually
have the most students.
Program Transfers
It is possible to transfer to another
program of study after your first
year. Most programs require a number of 'elective' courses. If you do
change programs, the courses you
take during the first year, often the
elective courses, might count towards
the degree or diploma to which you
are transferring.
Thoughts from previously sponsored students
“I came to my university at the end of August, and after some weeks everything
started: assignments, lab reports, quizzes, tests. All of the deadlines bombarded me. I
was trying very hard not to give up. The first time it was very challenging. But you
get used to it after a while. Education in Canada is highly qualified, modern and
technically equipped. You are really going to enjoy a nice academic time.”
“I understand that things may be difficult where you are right now. However it
will be good if you somehow try to revise or read the materials in your field of study
before you come. Things might be challenging and confusing, but never give up. Be
ready for struggling times in class. It is all part of the adjustment as one tries to cope
with the new system and place of learning. Putting an effort on academic activities
during the first year will help you have confidence in yourself.”
Transferring Universities or
Colleges After the
Sponsorship Period
Students are free to transfer to a different institution after the initial 12month sponsorship period. However,
be sure to speak to an academic advisor as not all courses are transferable
from one program to another.
Canada's education system is very
flexible. To be admitted to Canadian
universities or colleges there is no discrimination on the basis of religion,
race, age, or sex, but various programs
and institutions require high academic standing to be admitted.
If you are considering moving to
another province, there are several
factors to consider in making that
decision. You would need to find out
It is a legal requirement of
the sponsorship to stay in the
same city or town where your
sponsoring group is for the
duration of the 12 month
sponsorship.
10
about transferring student loans,
provincial health care coverage,
admission into the university or college of your choice and the transferring of your academic credits. These
are important topics you should discuss with your sponsoring group
before you make any decisions.
School Semesters/Terms
Fall term: September to midDecember
Winter term: mid-January to April
Spring/Summer term: May to
August
The term 'academic year' usually
refers to the September to April
semesters. At most institutions there
are breaks at the end of December as
well as one week during February,
known as 'reading week' or ‘Spring
break'.
Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
Chapter 4
Canadian Characteristics and Customs
Understanding Canadians
Canada's population is multicultural and diverse. Because of
this, it can be difficult to generalize about Canadians. There are,
however, some commonly held
values and attitudes in Canada.
While you're bound to find
exceptions to the general rules
we describe below, you may
find these descriptions helpful.
Freedom and individuality
are very important to
Canadians, who are taught as
children that they are responsible
for their own lives and destiny.
Canadians usually see themselves
as individuals more than as members of a group or even a family.
Time is also very important in
Canada. You will make a good
impression if you are on time for
appointments, meetings, classes, or
social engagements. If you cannot
keep an appointment or are going to
This table represents the number of immigrants and refugees who
arrived in Canada in 2005 and 2006 (considered as Permanent
Residents).
2005 Statistics
2006 Statistics
Immigrant Categories
Family Class
Economic Immigrants
Other Immigrants
63,352
156,310
6,806
70,459
138,193
10,389
Total - Immigrant Categories
226,468
219,041
Government Sponsored
Refugee Claimants
Privately Sponsored
Refugee Dependants
7,416
19,935
2,976
5,441
7,310
15,885
3,329
5,946
Total - Refugee Categories
35,768
32,470
262,236
251,511
Refugee Categories
Total - Immigrants and Refugees
Source: CIC, Facts and Figures 2006
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pub/facts2006/facts2006_category.html
Canadian Characteristics and Customs
be late, it is polite to inform those
who will be expecting you.
In most cases, Canadians relate to
one another informally and believe
that all people are equal. In Canada, it
is acceptable for students to ask questions or even disagree with the professor, if it is done respectfully.
Students commonly wear casual attire
on campus and use slang among
friends.
Most Canadians are interested in
meeting people from other cultures,
but they often expect you to take the
initiative. A common Canadian greeting is "Hi, how are you," to which
people usually answer "Fine, how are
you?" A longer answer is not required.
Canadians tend to be polite and
apologetic. They say "please" and
"thank you" often in social situations.
When waiting in line, Canadians tend
to line up in an orderly manner and
expect others to do the same. When
11
they interrupt or bump into one
another, they usually say, "Excuse me."
Privacy is important to Canadians.
It is polite to ask about someone's
work or academic major, but it is usually impolite to ask about someone's
age, appearance (e.g., their weight), or
status (e.g., how much their car costs).
The belief that people are all
unique individuals leads to the belief
that they need time and space to
themselves, and in families it is common for each child to have (or want) a
room of their own.
Many Canadians value "political
correctness," which means they avoid
expressions or actions that could be
insulting to others. Canadians like to
think of themselves as being very tolerant of different lifestyles and customs. In reality, stereotypes and prejudice do exist in Canada.
Climate
Canada has four distinct seasons,
but the length of the seasons varies
from one region to the next. In most
places spring begins in mid-March
and goes until mid-May and is characterised by increasingly warmer days
but with cold or cool nights. Summer
has warm to hot days with longer
hours of sunlight beginning in May or
June and ending in August or
September. During the autumn (or
"fall" as it is commonly called), the
weather slowly cools again, and daylight decreases each day until the
Winter Solstice in December when
the days start getting longer again.
Canada gets precipitation throughout
the year, in the form of rain or snow,
depending on the season.
Canadians have adapted their
housing and clothing needs to these
extremes in temperature. All buildings
are heated in the winter, usually with
oil, gas, or electrical systems that
12
Advice from a previously sponsored student
“For the adjustment process, take it easy. Think positively about the new culture and
the weather!”
require very little work. Your sponsoring group will provide you with a
budget to buy winter clothes to protect you from the cold and the snow.
Despite the cold and limited sunlight,
winter can be quite enjoyable.
The long hours of sunlight in the
summer also provide the opportunity
to enjoy a variety of outdoor sports
and activities.
General Weather Information
and Seasons
Fall — mid-September to midNovember
Winter — mid-November to midMarch
Spring — mid-March to mid-May
Summer — mid-May to midSeptember
Note: Weather information is given
for the southern areas of Canada.
Weather information for all of
Canada can be accessed via the
Weather Network website at
www.weathernetwork.ca
Month/Weather
Suggested clothing and remarks:
November — cool and frosty.
Medium to heavy weight apparel.
First signs of snow.
December, January, February — winter temperatures. Winter apparel
(overcoat, hat, boots, gloves.) Heavy
snowfall in most provinces.
Excellent months to enjoy the many
winter sports activities.
March — moderate Winter apparel
with somewhat medium-weight
wear. Snow begins to disappear;
however, outdoor activities can still
be enjoyed in winter resort areas.
April — milder days but evenings are
cool. Medium-weight apparel
including topcoat. Snow disappears,
except in higher mountainous areas
where conditions are ideal for
spring skiing.
May—warm days but cool at night.
Medium-weight and summer
apparel. The country is green and
spring flowers are in bloom generally by mid-month (earlier on the
West Coast). Outdoor spring and
summer activities begin.
June—warm. Summer clothing with
some medium-weight apparel for
cool evenings. Ideal for all outdoor
summer activities.
July and August—warmest months of
summer. Light-weight summer
clothing. Ideal for enjoying summer
activities.
September—warm days, cool
evenings. Light to medium-weight
clothing. Foliage takes on fall
colouring toward the end of the
month.
Pre-departure Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
October—cool. Medium to heavyweight apparel. First touch of frost
in the air. Autumn colours at their
peak early in the month.
Basic Facts about Canada
Canada is the second-largest country in world (after Russia); it has a
strategic location between Russia
and US via north polar route;
approximately 90% of the population is concentrated within 160
km of the US border
The population of Canada is an
estimated 33 million people. The
large majority of people (69%) are
between the ages of 15 and 64.
The average life expectancy for the
total population is: 80.22 year
(male: 76.86 years, female: 83.74
years) (2006 est.)
On average 1.61 children are born
to each woman (2006 est.)
HIV prevalence: 0.3% (2003 est.)
Number of people living with
HIV/AIDS: 56,000; number of
deaths from AIDS-related illnesses: 1,500
Cultural background: British Isles
origin 28%, French origin 23%,
other European 15%, Amerindian
2%, other, mostly Asian, African,
Arab 6%, mixed background 26%
Religious background: Roman
Catholic 42.6%, Protestant 23.3%
(including United Church 9.5%,
Anglican 6.8%, Baptist 2.4%,
Lutheran 2%), other Christian
4.4%, Muslim 1.9%, other and
unspecified 11.8%, none 16%
(2001 census)
Language: English (official) 59.3%,
French (official) 23.2%, other
17.5%
Literacy (definition: age 15 and
over can read and write) total pop-
Canadian Characteristics and Customs
ulation: 99% male: 99% female:
99% (2003 est.)
Head of State: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February
1952), represented by Governor
General Michaelle JEAN (since
27 September 2005)
Head of Government: Prime
Minister Stephen HARPER
(since 6 February 2006)
Cabinet: Federal Ministers chosen
by the prime minister from
among the members of his own
party sitting in Parliament
elections: none; the monarchy is
hereditary; governor general
appointed by the monarch on the
advice of the prime minister for a
five-year term; following legislative elections, the leader of the
majority party or the leader of the
majority coalition in the House of
Commons is automatically designated prime minister by the governor general
A brief history
Canada is the country occupying
most of the northern portion of
North America. Originally inhabited
exclusively by aboriginal peoples,
Canada was founded as a union of
British colonies, some of which had
earlier been French colonies. Now a
federal dominion of ten provinces
and three territories, Canada peacefully obtained sovereignty from the
United Kingdom in a process beginning in 1867 with its formation and
ending in 1982 when Canada gained
the authority to amend its own constitution.
Canada is a parliamentary
democracy and constitutional monarchy. Canada's head of state is its
monarch, who is represented in
Canada by the Governor General.
Canada's National Anthem
English lyrics
O Canada! Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.
With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!
From far and wide, O Canada,
We stand on guard for thee.
God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee!
French lyrics
O Canada! Terre de nos aïeux
Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux
Car ton bras sait porter l'épée
Il sait porter la croix
Ton histoire est une épopée
Des plus brilliants exploits
Et ta valeur, de foi trempée
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits
Protégera nos foyers et nos droits
The head of government is the Prime
Minister.
Canada defines itself as a bilingual and multicultural nation. Both
English and French are official languages. In the early 1970s, Canada
began to adopt policies based on the
concepts of cultural diversity and
multiculturalism. Many Canadians
now view this as one of the country's
key attributes, but there are critics of
the multiculturalism policy as well.
A technologically advanced and
industrialized nation, Canada is a net
exporter of energy because of its
large fossil fuel deposits, nuclear
energy generation, and hydroelectric
power capacity. Its diversified economy relies heavily on an abundance of
natural resources and trade, particularly with the United States, with
which Canada has had a long and
complex relationship.
13
Africans in Canada
How many Africans are there in
Canada?
The 2001 Canadian census
reported that about 2% of the total
population is composed of
Canadians of African descent.
How many refugees are there in
Canada?
According to 2001 statistics provided by Citizenship and
Immigration Canada, out of a total
of 250,346 immigrants, 27,894 were
refugees.
That figure has dropped somewhat since September 2001 due to a
tightening of the Canada-US border,
across which many asylum seekers
come to Canada.
What is the history of Africans in
Canada?
How did the original Africans
who came to Canada get there? Very
few came directly from Africa. Many
were transported to Canada from the
British colonies in North America
14
and the West Indies or from the
French controlled West Indies in the
17th and 18th Century. Once in
Canada, the slaves worked in urban
settings as domestic help. This is in
contrast to the slavery as practiced in
the U.S. and the West Indies, where
slaves worked primarily on farms and
plantations.
A wave of American slaves
migrated to Canada after the
American Revolution during which
the American colonists fought for
their independence from the British
monarchy. Many African slaves who
were owned by Americans sided with
the British, against the Americans,
during the Revolutionary war. They
were called Loyalists because they
were loyal to the British crown. The
American-owned slaves pledged their
allegiance to the British because the
British promised them that after the
war, they would be given their freedom.
At the end of the war, the British
helped the Black Loyalists to leave
the United States. About 3,500 were
relocated in Canada and given small
tracts of land by the British government. The Africans settled in Nova
Scotia and New Brunswick in segregated communities. The land the
blacks were given proved to be insufficient to give them with the means
to provide for themselves. Many were
disappointed and left Canada and
immigrated to the British colony of
Sierra Leone in West Africa. During
the War of 1812, the British offered
to send runaway slaves to British
colonies, where they would be free.
Many former slaves came to Canada
and lived in the segregated African
communities. Runaway slaves, or
maroons, continued to flee to Canada
for freedom. At the time of the Civil
War in America, approximately
30,000 maroons were living in
Canada. At the end of slavery, many
Africans moved back to the US.
Another significant migration of
peoples of African descent to Canada
occurred between 1909 and 1911.
African Americans from Oklahoma,
who worked as farmers, moved to
Alberta, Canada. A third increase in
the black population in Canada came
Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
in the 1960s, when the Canadian government removed immigration restrictions,
allowing more peoples of non-European
origins to come into the country to live
and work. Between 1960 and 1995,
300,000 immigrants from the West
Indies and 150,000 from Africa migrated
to Canada. They settled primarily in the
eastern cities of Toronto, Montreal and
Ottawa.
How will I be able to connect with other
Africans once I am in Canada?
Most Canadian cities have a multicultural or intercultural association, if not a
specifically African association. For example, in Victoria B.C., both the
Intercultural Association of Victoria and
the African Heritage Association of
Victoria exist. The African Heritage
Association is composed of Africans from
all over the continent and hosts various
events, such as an African fashion and talent show, each year. When you arrive in
your town or city, ask the members of
your WUSC local committee if they
know of an intercultural or African
Association in town. They can direct you
to contact the right people.
Canadian Characteristics and Customs
15
Chapter 5
Adaptation and Culture Shock
Canadian Culture
Due to its colonial past, Canadian
culture has historically been heavily
influenced by English, French, Irish,
Scottish, and First Nations cultures
and traditions. More recently,
Canadian culture has been greatly
influenced by American culture, due
to U.S. proximity and the interchange of human capital. Many
forms of American media and entertainment are popular in Canada and
have been successful worldwide.
Most cultural products of these types
are now marketed toward a unified
"North American" market, and not
specifically a Canadian or American
one.
Elements of more "distinctly
Canadian" culture have been partly
influenced by federal government
programs, laws and institutions such
as the Canadian Broadcasting
Corporation (CBC), the National
Film Board of Canada, and the
Canadian Radio-television and
Telecommunications Commission
(CRTC).
Canadian culture has also been
greatly influenced by more recent
immigration of people from all over
the world. Many Canadians value
multiculturalism, indeed some see
Canadian culture as being inherently
multicultural. Multicultural heritage
is enshrined in the Canadian Charter
of Rights and Freedoms.
National symbolism is influenced
by historical and native (especially,
natural) sources. Particularly, the use
of the maple leaf as a Canadian symbol dates back to the early 18th century and is depicted on its current
and previous flags, the penny, and on
the coat of arms. Other prominent
16
symbols include the beaver, Canada
goose, common loon, and the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police.
Canada's official national sports
are ice hockey (winter) and baseball
(summer), however, hockey is considerably more a part of Canadian culture as it is a national pastime. It is
by far the most popular spectator
sport in the country. Canada's six
largest metropolitan areas have franchises in the National Hockey
League (NHL), and there are more
Canadian players in the league than
from all other countries combined.
Curling and Canadian Football are
also extremely popular sports in
Canada, but soccer has now the
largest number of players.
Culture Shock
“Culture shock” is a term that
refers to the process of disorientation
experienced when encountering a
new culture. Culture shock is a normal part of cultural adjustment.
Some examples of the emotional and
physical reactions to culture shock
are: loneliness, feelings of alienation,
constant fatigue, the desire to remain
withdrawn, difficulty holding a nor-
mal conversation, frustration and
anger.
Though the stages of culture
shock can be predicted in a fairly
accurate time sequence, for some people, the sequence does not begin until
many months, even years, after the
initial separation from their country
of origin or asylum has taken place.
Symptoms of culture shock are
predictable and common. Sometimes,
however, they may and do persist to
the point where individuals can no
longer cope with their environment
or the demands put upon them. In
time, if a person does not receive
treatment, the symptoms may develop into real depression, psychoses,
and aggressive anti-social behaviour.
Most people will overcome culture
shock once they come to understand
what is happening to them.
Difficulties in adjustment can be
exaggerated by experiences with
racism or intolerance. This may lead
some people who experience racism,
discrimination or intolerance to
develop stereotypes about Canadian
characteristics on the basis of personal experience or behaviour of individual Canadians.
Advice for a student experiencing culture shock
“Try to participate in social activities instead of sitting around your room.
Try to learn about your new country. Understanding the history, geography, politics, religion and cultural norms of a country can only add to your insight into it.
Participate in group activities that include Canadian and international students in
order to develop friendships. This will enable you to cope with culture shock, by
providing the place to talk about problems.”
Advice From a WUSC-Ottawa Staff Person
“One way of learning new things is to ask for what you do not know or what
you doubt. You will always find someone who is willing to help you. Therefore,
don’t wait until you are in a state of mind where you may think you cannot handle situations by yourself and you don’t have anyone to count on.”
Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
A note on culture shock —
Although culture shock can be challenging and difficult at times, it is also
an opportunity to learn more about
yourself and the new culture in which
you find yourself. The symptoms of
culture shock can be reduced if you
talk about how you are feeling, and
the more you try to engage yourself in
the new culture, the better you will
understand what is happening around
you. Take time to explore your new
surroundings, visit new people and
places, and ask as many questions as
you need answered!
People to talk to for counselling
and to find out about services
WUSC SRP staff in Ottawa
Community religious leaders
Community organisations for new immigrants
Counsellors on campus
International student advisors on your campus
Professors
At Three to Six Months
At this time, they will probably be
feeling a strong need to build a new
social structure to replace the one
they have left behind. They may react
to small difficulties as if they were
major catastrophes.
After Six Months
After about six months comes the
time of “psychological arrival” or
assessment. Some people have a feeling of nostalgia for what has been lost
and idealize the past. Because this is a
time of planning for the future, which
can be scary, they may also find themselves looking longingly to the
past. Possibly everything
seemed easier in the past, and it
is difficult for them to look forward. Some emotional reactions
at this point are depression,
frustration, anxiety, feelings of
denial and anger. Very little of
this is in any way expressed
directly.
WUSC Sponsoring Group members
After One Year
Later on, new realities have to
other student groups on your campus such as the
be faced. Some people attempt
Muslim Students Society, the Christian Student
to use old ways to cope with
Federation, etc.
present problems; some isolate
themselves from the wider community; some adjust to their
Stages of Culture Shock
professional/academic lives but keep
Immediate Post-Arrival
their personal lives separate. The most
In the period immediately after
successful are those who achieve
arrival, many people (refugees or
mobility between the old and new
other newcomers) are over-stimulatcultures and both sets of values.
ed, energetic, full of relief and exciteThose who are having a difficult tranment. They may seem preoccupied
sition exhibit some of the characteriswith the fulfilment of immediate and
tic features of a “survivor syndrome.”
tangible needs like housing, etc.
These include: Unusual fatigue, mood
Beneath the euphoria, they may have
swings, feelings of irritation and
a tendency for disorientation, some
impatience, withdrawal, restlessness,
anxiety and confusion of varying
inappropriate reactions to trivia,
intensity. They may have some physilethargy, headaches, argumentativecal reactions, such as difficulty sleepness.
ing, or digestive problems.
Refugee resettlement agencies in your town or city
Adaptation and Culture Shock
Coping After Traumatic
Experiences
People who are refugees sometimes encounter difficulties in adapting to Canada because of the emotional traumas they have experienced
in the past. There are programs and
services, such as medical or emotional
counselling, to help people who have
experienced torture or trauma.
Counselling in these centres is
provided by professionally trained
counsellors and psychologists.
Individual, couples and group counselling is available in strict confidence.
Talking to a professional is a helpful
way to work out problems, and many
Canadians and newcomers seek counselling for a variety of reasons.
Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD)
Some people experience PTSD if
they have in the past undergone traumatic events in their lives. The characteristic symptoms of post-traumatic
stress disorders include:
re-experiencing the traumatic event
through recurrent and intrusive
recollection or nightmares, or by
suddenly acting or feeling as if the
event were recurring again;
numbing of responsiveness to or
involvement with the external
world, manifested by less interest, a
feeling of detachment from other
people, and/or reduced emotional
response; or
other symptoms, such as hyper
alertness, insomnia, survivor guilt,
depression, anxiety, increased irritability, loss of memory or trouble
concentrating or completing tasks,
phobic avoidance of situations that
bring back memories of the trauma, and worsening of the symptoms on exposure to situations that
resemble the traumatic event.
17
Chapter 6
Money Matters
Budgeting
Clothing
Your Sponsoring Group will have
made a budget for you in order to
ensure that the money raised for you
will adequately look after your basic
needs. The amount will vary significantly across the country, depending
on local conditions, the cost of living
and the resources of the sponsoring
group.
The following list gives you a general idea of the things that are
included in the 12-month sponsorship:
Tuition for one academic year
Accommodation and food
Clothing
Household supplies
Textbooks and school supplies
Personal allowance
Transportation
In Canada, the kind of
clothing you will require is
dictated by changes in climate which take place
from one season to another. Winter usually begins
in November in most
parts of Canada. Generally
speaking, winter clothing
consists of a heavy coat or
a long jacket (made from
wool or nylon), winter
boots, heavy mitts or
gloves, and a hat. You
should go with a member
of your Sponsoring Group
and find winter clothing suitable for
the region in which you will by living.
Canadian students do not wear
their best clothes to college or university. Canadian students dress informally, and there is a great variety in
the way people dress as there is no
uniform or dress code. However,
dress for employment in a private
company may require more formal
attire, such as a shirt and a tie for
men, skirt and blouse for women.
Specific clothing and head pieces,
such as hijabs, with cultural or religious significance, are commonly
worn.
Before you buy clothing, you
should look for items that are easy to
maintain and wash since it is less
expensive to do the washing yourself.
In Canada, almost every house or
apartment building has a washing
machine and a dryer. If the place you
are living in does not have these,
laundromats are available in most
towns and cities, and in
Tuition
Tuition fees are often paid directly by
the institution. Tuition fees vary for
each sponsored student because of
the number of courses taken and the
institution's course and administrative fees.
Accommodation and Meals
Meals will be covered directly
through meal programs on campus
cafeterias except in cases where you
will have to buy and cook your own,
either on weekends or full-time. If
you are not covered through meal
programs on campus, you will receive
an allowance to cover the costs of
food.
18
university/college residences. Dry
cleaning is available, but it is very
expensive.
Household Supplies
Depending on your sponsorship,
your budget may include money for
specific household items, such as
bedding, kitchen supplies, etc. This
depends on where you live and what
the Sponsoring Group has provided.
You will have access to a bed, desk
and other basic furniture.
Textbooks and School
Supplies
The money allocated in the budget
for the purchase of books is related
to your academic program. Each
course you take will require you to
read specified texts, which will be
listed when you register for courses.
As new textbooks in a number of
fields are very expensive, one way of
stretching your book allowance is to
purchase second-hand (used) books.
There are campus book sales at the
Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
beginning of each academic year
where you may find used textbooks
for your courses. As well, there are
bulletin boards where individuals
frequently advertise the sale of
books. Similarly, at the end of an
academic year, you may sell the
books you do not wish to keep.
Speak to the members of your
Sponsoring Group to ask them
where you can buy less expensive
textbooks.
Personal Allowance
The allowance you receive is
based on calculations for normal living costs for students where you are
studying. Canadian students have a
relatively low standard of living in
terms of the rest of Canadian society.
Your allowance will only cover
some small items. You will not be
able to afford big purchases like a
TV, car, stereo, a complete new
wardrobe, holidays or any other luxury. You must pay close attention to
the management of your funds until
you become familiar with the differences in living costs between Canada
and your country of origin or asylum.
It may be useful, at least for the
first three months, to keep a written
record of your expenses. During this
period, do not make major purchases- winter clothing, furniture, etc.without first seeking advice from
members of the Sponsoring Group
or another student who has been in
Canada for some time.
Many Canadian students take
great pride in living as cheaply as
possible, finding used clothing
stores, free movies, concerts, and
shows, inexpensive apartments, etc.
Items covered under “personal
allowance” include one or more of
Money Matters
the following: phone, postal services,
entertainment, long-distance travel
and bus passes.
Transportation in Canada
A transportation allowance may be
included in your personal allowance
or may be a separate item in your
budget. For example, if you need the
bus to get to university every day, the
cost of a bus pass should be included
in the sponsorship budget for you.
Two of Canada's largest cities,
Toronto and Montreal, have subway
systems (underground train systems)
which cross the cities and connect
with bus systems. Usually the same
tickets are accepted on both subways
and buses. In fact, most places in
Canada, except for very small or isolated villages, have some sort of bus
system.
In the summer, many Canadians
use bicycles to get around. You may
be able to find an inexpensive, second-hand bicycle. Bicycle helmets
are compulsory in some cities. Taxis
are a convenient way of travelling
from one place to another within a
city, but they are much more expensive than buses and should be used
only in emergencies. Catching rides
from cars and trucks passing by
(called “hitch-hiking” in Canada) is
sometimes illegal and can be dangerous. It is not common in Canada for
vehicles to carry extra passengers to
make some extra money. There is
enough public transportation that
the need is very low.
For long distance travel there are
buses, trains and planes, and, in
some cases, 'share a ride programs'
whereby people travelling by car to a
long-distance location advertise to
get passengers in order to share the
costs. The type of transportation for
long distance travel depends on the
distance, the time you have and the
price you are willing to pay.
Travel Loan
Through the federal department of
Citizenship and Immigration
Canada, the Canadian Government
issues loans to refugees to pay for
their travel costs to Canada. The
loan includes the cost of the plane
ticket as well as other administrative
costs associated with processing the
immigration application (such as
medical exams, etc.). You will be
responsible to pay back the loan
once you are in Canada. It is interest-free for the first year or so
depending on the amount, but we
encourage you to establish a repayment routine shortly after arriving.
Even small amounts will help reduce
the overall amount. Some
Sponsoring Groups assist with the
repayment of the loan, in full or partially, while other students pay it
themselves by using their personal
allowance or money they make
through working.
The loan amount is not calculated until a few months after you land.
However, if you would like to get in
touch with an immigration officer at
the Collection Services office of CIC
after that time, then call toll-free at
1-800-667-7301. The immigration
officer can answer questions you
have regarding your loan.
Your travel loan is not of immediate concern to you. However, it is
something to always consider since it
is your responsibility to pay it back,
and failure to do so in the first few
years after your arrival in Canada
will result in high interest repayment, as well as other more serious
consequences.
19
Sending Money Home
Many sponsored students feel pressured to send money home. The
amount of money you will receive
may sound like a lot, but you will
only have enough to cover your basic
necessities as a student in Canada.
Do not assume that you will have
enough money in your personal
budget to send money back home.
Credit Cards
All sponsored students are strongly
urged not to use credit cards. Many
Canadians buy goods on credit,
which means 'buy now — pay later'.
This idea may seem tempting to
you, but be very cautious about buy-
20
ing goods on credit as this could get
you into serious difficulties when it
comes time to make payments
(which will then include interest at
approximately 18-20% per year).
You should be aware that interest is
charged on any payment owed and
that the interest accumulates the
longer the payment is deferred. In
fact, it is estimated that people who
use credits cards and pay the bills
later end up paying four times the
amount they initially spent.
open an account. Your monthly
allowance will usually be provided to
you in the form of a cheque, which
you will then deposit into your
account. A bank account also allows
you to withdraw money from your
account by using a debit card at a
bank machine.
Bank Account
It is essential for you to have a bank
account in Canada. A Sponsoring
Group member will assist you to
Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
Chapter 7
Daily Matters
Communication Systems
Telephone Costs and Use
Almost all Canadians have a telephone in their house or apartment.
The cost to have a personal phone in
one's home is not too expensive. You
can either rent or buy a phone. Either
way you have to pay a phone company a basic rate each month for telephone service. Long distance calls
cost extra and can cost quite a lot of
money. It is very easy to end up with
an extremely expensive phone bill for
long-distance calls, especially for calls
made to places outside of Canada.
Long distance calls within Canada
can be reasonably priced so long as
you register for a "long distance plan"
with a telephone company. Some
people rent or own a cellphone. You
can ask your Sponsoring Group
members for information on telephone options once you arrive.
Phone Cards
Phone cards are one solution to
high phone bills. They are available
through stores and individual vendors in all provinces. You buy phone
cards in designated amounts, for
example $20.00 (Canadian dollars)
and these enable you to place calls to
other countries for a certain number
of minutes. Many students use
phone cards because it limits their
spending on phone calls.
E-Mail
E-mail is widely available in
Canada. You will be issued an e-mail
account through your university or
college and will be able to use it as
often as you like. E-mail is an excellent way for you to communicate
with friends and relatives since it is
Daily Matters
Advice from a previously sponsored student
“One of the biggest problems refugee students face when they arrive in Canada is
how to cope with the loneliness and distress due to lack of information about some relatives and friends. The best thing you can do is to make friends here and to keep in
touch with those relatives and friends you knew in the past. You can also avoid such situations by being busy all the time. Make friends, go to school, get a job, write to your
dear ones and have time for fun.”
Warning from a previously sponsored student
“Never use your telephone for long distance calls. Those friends you left behind will
not perish, so why the rush and unnecessary expense? I have already lost contact with
a friend who came with me. All this young man did was to phone his friends in
Britain, Africa and New York. The bill came to $800.00 (Canadian dollars) which
he could not pay. The telephone company decided to disconnect his line. The point is
that these days he phones me on collect call!! Yet for me, I have never phoned beyond
Canadian borders because I am realistic.”
available to you as a student. There
are lots of places at all universities
and colleges to use computers to
access e-mail at no charge or low
cost.
WUSC-Ottawa uses e-mail very
often to communicate with the
Sponsoring Groups and sponsored
students.
Postal Services
Stamps and other postal services
are available at Canada Post outlets
at affordable prices.
Although you can find postal
outlets in many places, they are usually located on campuses, in malls, in
pharmacies, or in convenience stores.
Buying Food
In Canada, you can buy food
items from all over the world. In
major cities, people can find most of
the foods that are eaten in other
countries. Foods that are commonly
eaten in Canada are found just about
everywhere regardless of whether
people live in a small town or in a
city.
Many Canadian cities and towns
have outdoor markets where fresh
fruits and vegetables are sold during
the spring, summer and fall. When
the fruits and vegetables come from
the surrounding region, the prices are
normally quite reasonable. Vegetables
grown in Canada cost less than
imported ones. Year round, you can
buy fruits and vegetables at supermarkets, produce stores, or even at
convenience stores, although at a
higher price.
In coastal areas, such as British
Columbia and the Atlantic provinces,
you can also often find outdoor fish
markets that sell fresh seafood. Meat
markets are also common throughout Canada.
Places to Shop for Food
Supermarkets are large grocery
stores which sell a wide variety of
food and non-food products. These
stores usually have the best
21
prices for canned goods and are
usually the only places in winter
where it is possible to find fresh
fruits and vegetables. Supermarkets
often have special sales that you can
read about in advertisements at the
stores.
Convenience Stores — sometimes called "corner stores" — are
neighbourhood stores (Mac's Milk,
7-11, Beckers). Prices are usually
much higher than the market or
supermarket, but they are often
open 24 hours a day. They are, as
the name implies, convenient.
usually the most reasonable
places to buy meals since each
item may be ordered separately
and there are no tips or service
charges to be paid;
Locally grown vegetables and
fruits are usually cheaper,
fresher, and of better quality.
Grown in Canada
there are a large number of 'fast
food' outlets which sell standard
food items, generally at a reasonable price, such as hamburgers,
hot dogs and pizza, Asian food,
ice cream, fish and chips, etc.
However, a lot of this food is not
very nutritious. You should,
therefore, ensure that you find
additional ways of balancing your
diet;
ask your Sponsoring Group
members about "student joints".
These are inexpensive restaurants
that cater to students and student
budgets.
mushrooms, potatoes, garlic,
onions, peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, celery, cabbage, apples,
grapes, spinach, kale
Not Grown in Canada
pineapple, coconut, mango,
Ideas for Keeping Food Costs Low
You should become familiar with
the seasonal fruits and vegetables
in Canada since they are less
expensive during the appropriate
season.
If you do not have a meal plan at
a residence, it is less costly to prepare your lunch at home and
carry it with you than to eat your
midday meals in restaurants
and/or cafeterias. If you share an
apartment or a house with others, it is cheaper to purchase your
food together in bulk.
Before you buy your food, plan a
menu for what you will eat for
the next few days or weeks. This
will help you avoid buying things
you don't need, and it will also
eliminate food waste and
spoilage.
Prices for food vary considerably
from one shop to the next. It is
wise to compare prices before
making your food purchases.
Check for sales as well.
22
Join a community kitchen or a
buying group. A number of peo-
starfruit, grapefruit, oranges,
bananas, avocado
ple come together, and cook large
quantities of food to bring home.
These are often held in community centres or neighbourhood
houses. Not only do you save
money, but you also have fun and
meet new people!
Food Banks
There are food banks in Canada
where people can get a free and very
small supply of food for a few days.
These are for serious emergencies
only - there should be no need for
you to use these. If you are having
problems buying an adequate
amount of food, talk to your
Sponsoring Group members immediately.
Eating Out in Restaurants
If you find it necessary to eat in a
restaurant, there are several points
which you should consider:
university or college cafeterias are
Entertainment
Some of your monthly
allowance can be used towards
entertainment. Since your allowance
will not be large, you should take
advantage of the many free forms of
entertainment on campuses and in
the community. As a student, you
are usually eligible for price reductions on tickets for films, concerts
and sporting events. In addition,
your school will probably have a
number of sporting and other recreational facilities available to you at
no cost or at minimum cost. Many
institutions have film societies
which you can join at a low cost and
which allow you to view films at
reasonable rates. You must show
your student card to receive these
discounts.
Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
Common Names for Social
Places
Bar/Tavern/Beer Parlour
Commonly called a 'bar', these
places are very informal. Beer, wine
and liquor are served and snacks can
be purchased. A bar will often have a
band providing music and entertainment. They are open most evenings
except Sundays in some provinces.
Lounge
A lounge serves beer, wine,
liquor, as well as mixed drinks.
Many lounges have entertainment.
Usually these are higher priced than
a tavern/bar, and are often found
within a restaurant.
Dining Room/Dining Lounge
A formal restaurant, usually
without entertainment and often
expensive.
Night Club
Similar to a dining room, but
with entertainment and dancing.
They often have a cover charge.
Some night clubs are also known as
“pick-up joints,” which implies that
they are places to meet single people.
Daily Matters
Advice from a previously sponsored student
“I don't think sponsored students should bring lots of clothes with them
because I found second hand clothes very cheap and more suitable for weather in
Canada.”
Coffee Bar
As the name implies, coffee bars sell
an assortment of coffees. Some coffee bars also serve teas, juices and
light meals.
Shopping for Clothes
Department Stores
Large stores such as The Bay and
Sears offer a wide range of almost
everything but the prices are usually
moderate to high. One advantage to
shopping in these large stores is that
you are normally able to return merchandise which may not be satisfactory (usually within a limited period
of time). Upon presentation of your
receipt, you will be issued a credit
note for another purchase or a cash
refund. Other department stores are
K-Mart, Zellers and Wal-Mart. They
are the same as the more expensive
department stores but prices and
quality are lower.
Second-Hand Clothes Stores
Second-hand or 'used' clothes
stores sell clothes as well as an
assortment of household items at a
much cheaper price than first hand
shops. Often articles sold in second
hand stores are in good condition
and can be purchased at very low
prices. Many students buy most of
their clothes and furniture at these
types of stores. Names include
Goodwill, Salvation Amy and Thrift
Shops.
Also in Canada is a phenomenon
called “Garage” or “Lawn Sales.” In
warm weather, on weekends, you
will find these types of sales.
Individuals sell their used items on
their property to people who pass by.
Advertising for these sales is usually
through local newspapers and paper
signs posted around town. These
types of sales offer an array of items
at unbeatable prices.
23
Chapter 8
Health Care in Canada
C
anada is a country that provides health care to all citizens free of charge through a
universal health care program. That
means that every Canadian or permanent resident (landed immigrant)
has access to hospital and medical
care regardless of where they live in
Canada and how much money they
have. Health costs are paid for by
the government of the province in
which people live. You must sign up
for provincial coverage to have access
to free health care.
Signing Up For Provincial
Health Care Coverage
Each province has a health insurance
program under which residents
receive medical services. Upon arrival
in Canada, your Sponsoring Group
will help you register for a provincial
health care card. This is the card
that you bring when you visit a doctor, health care centre or hospital for
medical care. Provincial health care
covers you for emergency health care
and for yearly appointments to a
doctor for a general health check-up.
It does not, however, cover prescription drugs, eyeglasses or dental services. In some provinces there is a
waiting period of three months
before you are registered. During
this period you will be covered
under a federal program called
Interim Federal Health (IFH - see
next section.)
It is illegal to use another person's health insurance card. If you
lose your card, you should report it
to the government health authorities
immediately to get it replaced.
24
Interim Federal Health
Program (IFH)
IFH is specifically for newcomers to
Canada during their first 12 months
in Canada. IFH is a federally-funded
program, one that people have to
register for through their local immigration offices. IFH offers coverage
during periods of ineligibility for
provincial coverage (three month
waiting periods in the provinces of
British Columbia, New Brunswick
and Ontario). In addition, it provides minimum coverage for dental
care, eye glasses and prescription
drugs. Your Sponsoring Group has
more information about IFH coverage, what services and provisions are
provided, and how to apply for it.
IFH only covers people for the first
12 months that they are in Canada
(consult www.cic.gc.ca or
www.fasadmin.com
for more details).
Dental Care
Dental care is not free in Canada,
except for the minimum coverage
through the Interim Federal Health
program (IFH) for the first 12
months. If you require dental care,
speak to your Sponsoring Group
who will help you make an appointment to see a dentist. The cost to see
a dentist ranges depending on where
you go. Before getting any dental
work done, get a quote for the price
and discuss the cost with your
Sponsoring Group.
Hospitals, Private Doctor
Clinics and Walk-in Health
Clinics
If you are sick and have to see a doctor, you will either go to a private
doctor's office (if you have an
appointment) or to a walk-in clinic.
Most universities and colleges have a
walk-in clinic where you can see a
doctor. If you have an accident or
injure yourself, you can either go to a
clinic or to a hospital, depending on
the severity of your injury. When
you do go, you have to make sure to
bring your health care card with you
or you will not get served.
If you have a medical condition
(physical, psychological or psychiatric) that requires regular care, you
should try to find a family doctor.
Talk to your Sponsoring Group
about finding a doctor who you can
see regularly.
Alternately, speak to WUSC
SRP staff in Ottawa if you would
like to keep the information confidential.
Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
Chapter 9
After the One-Year Sponsorship
Financing Your Education
After the Initial Year
You will be coming to Canada as
a permanent resident (by means of a
private sponsorship) which permits
you to work in Canada immediately,
and receive government student assistance after your first year in Canada.
Canadian colleges and universities
are subsidised by the government to
help keep tuition costs within the
reach of the average student. This
means that it is possible for you to
become financially independent from
your Sponsoring Group after your
initial year.
The funds for your sponsorship
have been raised locally through student and administrative initiatives,
and in most cases your Sponsoring
Group will welcome a new student a
year after your arrival. After the 12
months, in most cases, you will no
longer be supported financially by
your Sponsoring Group. It is possible, however, for you to finance your
continued education through your
own initiative, and your Sponsoring
Group will help you make the adjustment.
In the year after your sponsorship
it is likely that you will need to borrow government funds. This is typical among Canadian students. Many
Canadian students must get government administered student loans in
order to complete their studies. It is
common for undergraduate students
to have a large loan debt upon completion of their education. The good
news is that with an education the
chances of finding employment
increase and then you will be in a
position to pay back the loan.
After One Year Sponsorhip
Once your year of assistance is
completed, you can support yourself
and your education through a combination of student loans and summer/part-time employment, and in
some cases, scholarships & bursaries.
Government Student Loans
To supplement a student's earnings,
the Canadian Student Loan Program
was established in 1964 to provide
loans to full-time students in postsecondary studies. There is a maximum amount of assistance that is
calculated to be sufficient for a student's standard of living. This means
that the student will have most of the
money needed for modest housing,
as well as sufficient funds for books
and clothing. These maximum
amounts are often not enough to
cover all costs. As such, a growing
number of students work during the
summer, and part-time during the
school year, to supplement the
amounts provided through student
loans.
A member of your Sponsoring
Group will go with you to discuss
the details of student loans in your
province with a student awards officer during the course of your sponsorship. Make sure you understand
the regulations before you register as
some provinces restrict the number
of courses you may take in your first
year for receiving student loans the
following year. Each province has its
own restrictions on access to provincial loans and grants. In some
provinces, such as Ontario, you have
to be a part-time student for one year
prior to accessing student loans.
Therefore students going to Ontario
colleges or campuses only take parttime courses during their first year
(that is, the year they are sponsored
by WUSC).
You can continue to access government student loans until you
graduate. You will be expected to pay
off the loan through monthly instalments as soon as you are employed,
and even so, it may take up to 10
years to pay off your loan. It is a very
serious offence not to make payments
on your loan once you have finished
your education and have started
working.
For further information on the
Canadian Student Loan Program,
either visit your student financial
assistance office on campus, or contact the Canadian government tollfree at 1-800-O CANADA (1-800622-6232).
Summer/Part-Time
Employment
Another primary source of funding
for your subsequent years of study
should be your own earnings from
the summer months or from parttime employment. The job market
varies greatly throughout Canada,
but it is usually possible to find some
sort of employment. Students typically work in the service industry as
manual labourers, shop clerks, cleaning or restaurant staff during the
summer or on a part-time basis during the school year. Even if jobs are
available, looking for work can take a
long time and can sometimes be a
very frustrating experience.
Some of the Sponsoring Groups
provide the sponsored student with
25
employment for up to a certain
number of hours a week. The positions include working in the college
or university's registrar's office, in a
campus library or another clerk-type
position in an office. The salary is
relatively low — it is usually at an
hourly rate that is referred to as
"minimum wage" — the lowest
amount that an employer can give an
employee per hour by Canadian law.
However, even if the salary is low,
Advantages of working parttime during the first year of sponsorship
A sense of independence
Extra income, even if it is a
small amount per month
Canadian job experience
The opportunity to meet people outside of classes, your
Sponsoring Group and where
you live
Disadvantages of working
part-time during the first year of
sponsorship
Can distract from your studies,
particularly during the first year
when you are adjusting to being
in Canada
the extra income is a bonus for the
sponsored students who have the
employment opportunity as part of
their sponsorship. However, the
capacity to provide employment for
the sponsored student only applies
to a small number of sponsorships.
If your Sponsoring Group does
not provide a part-time work opportunity for you through their sponsoring structure (and most don't),
you can look for work on your own.
26
Your Sponsoring Group can help
you to look for employment, but it is
your responsibility to search out
employment opportunities.
Researching available positions
requires work. You can get some
ideas of the kinds of jobs available
by visiting student employment centres or checking the 'help wanted'
columns in newspapers. Many
employers prefer not to advertise as
they do not want to be overwhelmed
with applications. Employers tend to
hire people who are referred to
them, or job searchers who have the
initiative to apply at their offices and
follow-up on employment prospects.
It is therefore worthwhile asking
friends, fellow students and professors about possible job openings.
Summer Employment
Most institutions offer courses in the
summer months ( June – August in
Canada), but some students choose
to find part or full-time employment
during these months in order to save
for the next school year. Your
Sponsoring Group sponsors you for
12 months, including covering the
cost of tuition in the summer. It is
your decision. However, most sponsored students stay in school during
the summer months in order to get
ahead academically. Some students
find part-time work though, either
on campus or in the community and
this helps with the transition to
financial independence.
What Jobs?
Although the media often focus
on the lack of employment, jobs do
exist, even in tough economic times.
Many employers hire students to
replace their full-time employees
who are on holidays and openings
become available because of the sea-
sonal nature of the work. For
instance, the hospitality industry
hires for the summer season, as do
landscape firms, parks and recreation
departments, camps, painting companies, restaurants, etc. Government
subsidy programs in many provinces
create incentives to hire students for
work in the summer months.
Do not expect to find a summer
job that is directly related to your
studies, or even one that pays above
the minimum wage, especially at the
undergraduate level. “Menial” jobs
are quite socially acceptable because
it is expected that students will work
in the summer and these types of
jobs are the most plentiful. You must
therefore be willing to take whatever
type of employment is available, for
example, dishwasher, gardener, cook,
security guard, cleaner. Canadian
students work at menial jobs without any loss of pride or status. There
is simple pride in working to put
oneself through school.
Resumés
Many employers insist on receiving a personal resumé as part of
their application procedure, even if
the initial method of application was
by telephone or application form.
The advantage of using a resumé is
that it allows you to present yourself
in a way most flattering to you.
Choose a format that suits your
background and the type of position
you are seeking. Student employment centres keep information and
sample resumés to help you put one
together. Many schools also offer a
short résumé writing workshop for
free.
For more information on what to
include in a Canadian résumé, see
Appendix 2.
Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
Advice from a previously sponsored student
“Try to be serious in your job search efforts. When you hear about any job, consider that you are the most suitable candidate for the position and impress the
employer. Volunteer jobs are useful too. When you start as a volunteer, later you
may fill a vacant, paid position within the same company. In addition, you will get
important experience for future use.”
Job Search Tips
When looking for a job, it is
advisable to look into all places that
you can think of, and never give up.
There are some places that you
should check on a regular basis.
These include, but are not limited
to:
Student employment centres on
and off campus
Canada Employment Centres
(Human Resources Development
Canada)
The Internet – there is an ever
growing number of job search
sites on the Internet
Government websites – government departments frequently hire
students for short-term projects
and for the summer months
Community centres and neighbourhood houses
Friends and colleagues
Professors
Residence or cafeteria
Notice boards
Contact potential employers
directly
It is highly advised that you visit
a Career Centre on campus, or even
a refugee and immigrant settlement
agency in your area. Most conduct
workshops and have written information that can assist you with
resumé and cover letter writing, job
search skills, interview techniques,
and how to use the Internet's job
search sites. Like any other country,
After the One-Year Sponsorship
there is a "Canadian way" when it
comes to how work and job searches
are conducted. For example, when in
an interview in Canada, generally
speaking you will be expected to "sell
yourself ", something which may be
unacceptable in other countries.
Scholarships and Bursaries
Lists of possible scholarships and
bursaries can be obtained from the
office of awards and financial aid at
your respective educational institutions. It is important to remember
that scholarships are provided on
strictly academic performance while
bursaries are provided on other criteria such as financial need, field of
study, etc. At the graduate level of
study, financial assistance often takes
the form of well-paying teaching
assistant positions.
Summer Language Bursary
Program
The ability to speak both of
Canada's official languages can be a
tremendous asset when you start
seeking employment in certain areas
of Canada. The Canadian government's Summer Language Bursary
Program gives students the opportunity to learn either English or French
as another language.
The program grants bursaries to
students across Canada, allowing
them to participate in five-week
immersion courses in English or
French at accredited institutions. For
more information, contact the
Department of Canadian Heritage
office nearest you, as listed in the
Government of Canada pages of the
telephone directory. You can also ask
for information from your campus
financial aid office.
Permanent Employment
Prospects
Reflecting the great diversity of
Canada, the job prospects vary from
region to region. Canada has a lot of
smaller urban centres and rural areas
that are economically depressed and
where it is difficult to find employment. Canada also has towns and
cities that are economically vibrant,
with excellent job opportunities for
skilled people.
Your job prospects and the
salary you can expect after your
graduation will vary according to
your program of study. Although no
degree provides you with a guarantee
of finding a job, all degrees are useful
in your job search for they are an
indication of your potential.
Volunteering
Most people, whether they are
Canadian born or not, who are
entering the job market in Canada
find that they need Canadian work
experience to get their first job. A
good way to get experience is
through volunteering at an organization, or with a community group,
etc. People who volunteer do so in
order to gain valuable experience in a
particular field of interest, to meet
people, or to help a cause in which
they believe. Volunteering as a member of a WUSC Sponsoring Group
or Local Committee is one type of
volunteering, but there are lots of
other organisations and groups on
campus and in the wider community
at which to volunteer.
27
Becoming a Canadian Citizen
You can apply for Canadian citizenship three years after you have been in
the country. For information, visit the
Government of Canada's Citizenship
and Immigration website at:
www.cic.gc.ca.
Being awarded citizenship involves
writing a test on Canadian history
and participating in a citizenship ceremony at a Citizenship and
Immigration office. Aside from voter
privileges and the right to carry a
Canadian passport, a landed immigrant in Canada has many of the same
rights and responsibilities as a citizen.
Immigration of Other Family
Members
Also on the Citizenship and
Immigration website (www.cic.gc.ca),
there is information regarding the private sponsorship of refugees. You can
read about how to go about sponsoring other family members to immigrate to Canada, although it is a long
and sometimes tedious process.
Participation in WUSC
Activities after the
Sponsporship Period
The sponsorship period normally
ends after 1 year, however, many previously sponsored students remain in
touch with their Sponsoring Group
well beyond the 12-month period.
Many students join the Sponsoring
Group as a member and help with
welcoming the next student. To have
previously sponsored students as part
of a Sponsoring Group is invaluable
since they can provide advice and
guidance to the incoming students
from the perspective of someone who
has undergone a similar experience.
It is up to you whether or not you
would like to continue participating in
WUSC activities on campus. Once
you are in Canada, you will learn
28
more about the campus-based group
and what activities they are involved
in, and you will have a better idea
about your time commitments and
your interest in participating with
WUSC or other groups.
Please see Appendices 3 and 4 for
a list of WUSC publications, as well
as short list of resources from several
refugee and immigrant agencies.
National and International
Organizations Working with
Refugees
The following list of organizations
represents only a small handful of
national and international organizations working with refugees; however,
they are listed here since they are the
most important in terms of WUSC’s
SRP. You may wish to contact them
out of personal interest or need, or
you may even decide to get involved
with one of these organizations.
Contact details are provided so that
you may reach them should you
decide to do so.
The Canadian Council for Refugees
(CCR) is a non-profit umbrella
organization committed to the rights
and protection of refugees in Canada
and around the world, and to the settlement of refugees and immigrants in
Canada. WUSC is a member of
CCR and is on their listserve. Some
of their messages, assessed as relevant
to the SRP, are re-posted on the
WUSCnet. CCR provides networking and information exchange among
groups working with refugees, and
conducts research and policy analysis.
For more info, contact
www.ccrweb.ca. For contact names of
local refugee and immigrant servicing
agencies, go to the website and follow
the links.
Amnesty International is a wellknown organization working to prevent the violation of human rights
worldwide. Contact them at
www.amnesty.ca or on their toll-free
phone number 1-800-AMNESTY.
The site has suggestions on how individuals can take action against human
rights abuses.
The United Nations High
Commission for Refugees
(UNHCR)
is a non-political, humanitarian intergovernmental organization. Its mandate is to lead and coordinate international action for the world-wide protection of refugees and the resolution
of refugee problems. Informative
material on the situation of refugees
around the world is available from the
UNHCR Branch Office in Canada
(in Ottawa) –www.unhcr.ca . Orders
or requests to subscribe to Refugees
magazine, a quarterly magazine on
refugees, or to get pamphlets or
brochures can be made by e-mail to:
[email protected] or by phone, 1-613232-0909.
Centre for Refugee Studies (CRS)
is engaged in research on refugee
issues; it informs public discussion as
well as policy development and innovative practices by international governmental, advocacy and service
organizations. It also supports teaching in refugee and migration studies.
Visit their website at www.yorku.ca/crs
or for general inquiries you can e-mail
them at [email protected]
Student Action for Refugees
(STAR) is a UK-based organization
giving students the opportunity to
learn about refugee issues, and to raise
awareness and help refugees in a practical way in their local communities.
www.star-network.org.uk
providers only: 1-800-770-2998
Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
Appendix 1
Pre-Arrival Checklists for the Sponsoring Groups
Checklist 1: Things to Do Before the Student Arrives
Practical Items
Ensure that accommodation is ready for the student.
WUSC tries to arrange for students to arrive two weeks before
the semester starts, although it is not always possible. If time permits, arrange for a homestay in a family's home for a
few days before his/her move into a residence or apartment (however, be sensitive when matching a student to a
homestay).
Ensure that finances are in place.
Ensure that the meal plan is arranged or that funds are available to buy groceries and cooking utensils, etc.
Prepare an orientation kit for the student: it should include city and campus maps, bus/subway information, postal
information, international student handbook, events calendar, appropriate local ethnic associations, etc.
Organize Welcoming
Ensure that a small welcoming group is ready to go to the airport or other place of arrival.
Ensure that Sponsoring Group members are available to accompany the student during the first few weeks for orientation tours, registration, shopping trips, etc. Share these responsibilities among committee members since it is too
much work for one person.
Paper Work
Obtain a Social Insurance Number (SIN) application form.
Obtain a Provincial Health Care application form.
Obtain an Intern Federal Health Form
University Details
Enroll the student in a campus orientation program.
Check with the International Student Advisor to find out about
special orientation sessions for international students, and learn what other programs and services the institution provides.
Learn about your provincial student financial assistance rules as they will apply to the student.
Pre-Arrival Checklist for the Sponsoring Groups
29
Checklist 2: Things to Do Immediately After the Student’s Arrival
First Day
A few people should go to the airport to welcome the student.
Keep in mind that having too many people could be
overwhelming. Bring a camera but ask if it is okay to record the event. Send copy of the photographs to WUSC!
Look after his/her basic needs: shower, food, sleep.
Keep in mind that you may have to explain things we take for grant-
ed (how the taps work, how hot the water is...).
If possible, let the student call or e-mail his/her relatives or close friends.
Call or e-mail WUSC staff to let them know that the student has arrived safely.
First Two or Three Days
Paper Work
Assist the student in filling out the Social Insurance Number Form (SIN).
Assist the student in filling out the Health Insurance Form.
Go to the local CIC office with the student to obtain and fill out an Interim Federal Health form (IFH) even if provincial health care coverage begins immediately since IFH coverage is more comprehensive (see the IFH section of this
guide, page 22).
Make sure that the university/college registration is complete and that everything is finalized with the course schedule.
Talk it over with the student and explain how the system works.
Daily Life
Explain the financing of the sponsorship and the monthly allowance, and, in particular, what the sponsorship will cover
(and what will not be covered).
Explain the telephone and postal systems.
If the student is cooking for him/herself, make sure he/she has the necessary utensils, pots, etc.
If necessary, assist the student by showing him/her some basic cooking skills.
People from many cultures throughout the world are accustomed to shopping on a daily basis in open-air markets, where
most items can be purchased and bargained for in small quantities. These markets differ greatly from the Canadian
supermarket, where most items can be obtained in weekly or monthly quantities. You should explain the “non-bargaining” nature of Canadian stores, as well as the advantages of comparison shopping and buying when things are on sale.
Explain the concept of self-serve shopping and systems of payment (and remember to explain GST and PST).
Go to supermarkets or stores to buy food and try to locate shops that sell food that is familiar to the student so that
he/she can cook his/her own particular “comfort food”.
Explain how to contact and access police/ambulance in an emergency (911). Also point out emergency sirens, since these
sounds may be associated with bad memories for the student. Ask if the student would like to visit a police station or
hospital. Explain how these services work in Canada. You may need to discuss rights in the Canadian context, and
explain that police services are mandated and monitored to protect the public.
30
Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
First Week
Accompany the student to open a bank account. The student will need an ATM card. Explain how the card works.
Part of the sponsorship obligation is to ensure that the student has adequate and appropriate clothing. Please accompany the student to buy winter clothing so that you can guide him/her to suitable, affordable stores. Accompanying
the student on a shopping trip also provides an opportunity for you to introduce him/her to stores where goods can
be bought cheaply (ie. thrift-shops and other second hand stores, bargain shops, etc.).
Assist the student in finding a place of worship, if s/he desires it.
Explain social customs of dating, describe acceptable versus unacceptable behaviour, and explain sexual harassment,
and let him/her know who to talk to about it should s/he experience it (eg. a counselling service or hotline).
Show the campus health centre and services to the student. Help the student to find a doctor, and explain the health
care system and the concept of preventative medicine.
Go through the Pre-Departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students which was sent to the student and
respond to any questions s/he may have.
Explain about WUSC on campus and the activities and programs of WUSC in Ottawa and how to get involved.
Assist the student in contacting Immigration officials regarding the the Travel Loan (see section on Travel Loan, page
18).
Explain the local transit system: routes, fares, bus passes vs. tickets, etc.
Explain the risks of hitchhiking in Canada (since in some countries it is a very normal means of transportation).
Academic Orientation
Arrange a session with an academic and career advisor for the student to inform her/him of the options available.
This is critical to his/her future academic success.
Arrange a session with the Student Aid/Award Officer to inform the student of the regulations for federal and
provincial financial assistance for students. This is important at the beginning of the sponsorship because it may make
a difference to the student’s course load and his/her future access to loan programs in your province.
Follow-up with the International Student Advisor about special orientation sessions for international students.
Explain the use of libraries: How to borrow books, access e-mail/internet.
Explain where to buy books cheaply, and ensure that the student understands how much money in the budget has
been allocated for books and school supplies or understands that books have been donated.
Make sure the student knows the important deadlines for withdrawing or changing classes.
Investigate extra English language classes, conversation classes, exam preparation or essay workshops. Give this information to the student, and follow up on it if it becomes evident that there is a need for these services.
Pre-Arrival Checklist for Sponsored Students
31
Appendix 2
Preparing a Résumé* for Employment in Canada
*also referred to as a “CV” or curriculum vitae
Content
Identification
name (on all pages)
address (permanent and temporary)
telephone number (home, work) message if necessary
e-mail address
It isn’t necessary to include your date of birth, sex, marital status, religion, race, citizenship, political affiliations...
Job/Career Objective
A few lines only. Optional. Can be included on your résumé or in your cover letter.
Education
diploma or certificate obtained (in reverse chronological order starting with the most recent)
program of study (including area of specialization if necessary or appropriate)
period of attendance or date of graduation (actual or expected)
name and location of the institution (city and province only)
This section could also include (optional):
academic or special projects, field placements, theses topics
courses, workshops, additional training
scholarships, bursaries or academic awards
languages and computer skills (or other technical skills)
It is not necessary to mention a high school diploma/studies.
Work Experience
period of employment (starting with the most recent)
position title
name and address of employer (city and province only)
brief summary of the position 's duties, level of responsibility/required skills
achievements
This section may include volunteer and paid work, field placements, full-time or part-time work as well as summer positions.
32
Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
Additional Information
extra-curricular activities, volunteer work, hobbies & interests
memberships in professional associations
additional languages
technical (computer) skills
References
state "References available upon request"
use separate sheet for references
Presentation
attractive layout
good quality paper (8½” x 11”)
document properly typed with no “typos” or grammatical errors
good use of bold, capitals, italics, underline. ..
most important information accentuated
clarity, conciseness, and consistency
use action verbs
abbreviations to be avoided
two to three pages maximum
COVERING LETTER
addressed to the person in charge of hiring (name and position title)
Introduction:
Explain why you are writing, specify the position or type of work you are seeking.
Development:
Explain how your education, skills, knowledge, and abilities relate to the available position;
indicate what you have to offer to the employer;
explain why you are interested in working for the employer and why you would like to do this type of work.
Conclusion:
Request an interview, indicate what your next step will be
and finish with a complimentary closing (Yours sincerely, Yours truly...)
Your identiying information:
Signature, address, phone number, indication that you have enclosed your résumé
Preparing a Résumé for Employment in Canada
33
Appendix 3
WUSC Publications
WUSC has its own website — www.wusc.ca — which posts information about all of WUSC’s programs. On the
website, you will find a number of resources for Sponsoring Groups as well as the Local Committee Resource
Centre and information about the WUSC International Development Seminar.
1. World.Wide.WUSC e-newsletter
WUSC communicates monthly with its Local Committee
members regarding the SRP and other on-campus activities through an electronic newsletter. This communication
is also made available to current and former sponsored
students upon request. Contact [email protected] for more
information.
4. Human Rights in the Context of
Globalization. Whose Rights are Right?
The Development Education Kit 1998–99 [Bilingual]
This deved kit is an action kit and resource guide. It is
meant to be a starting point for an exploration of the
theme of human rights in the context of globalization.
2. Fostering Tomorrow’s Global Leadres
[2007, Bilingual]
This new edition of the SRP's evaluation report summarizes and analyzes information collected from previously
sponsored students, local committee members and overseas partners.
3. VIDEO: Once a Refugee
[1998, 20 minutes – Bilingual]
The video describes the history of the WUSC sponsorship program. The videographer follows the progress of
hopeful young African refugees in Kenya from the initial
application procedures, through Canadian immigration
clearance, to their arrival in Canada and first months in
their new country.
5. Development Education Handbooks
Produced by volunteers at WUSC and CCI [English]
This handbook was developed by WUSC in collaboration
with Canadian Crossroads International (CCI). The
handbook stresses that "Development Education requires
building awareness of global and local issues from the
ground up and promoting action through reflection, participation an sharing of visions and values." There are a
number of exercises in the manual for groups to develop
critical awareness and skills to engage in issues and taking
action. Although it is a draft document, please contact us
to get a copy.
6. WUSC website — www.wusc.ca
For all WUSC related publications and program
information, go to www.wusc.ca
34
Pre-departure Orientation Guide for WUSC Sponsored Students
Appendix 4
WUSC SRP Resource Library
The SRP webpages at – www.wusc.ca/campuses/srp – contains several resources for Sponsoring Groups,
Sponosored Students, and Local Committee contacts and activities on campus. WUSC also networks with several Refugee and Immigrant agencies and thereby receives publications form them which we keep at the head
office. The following is a general list of the resources we have at the WUSC office in Ottawa. Depending on
the circumstance, these resources are available to be lent out. However, most of these resources are available
free of charge by writing to the appropriate agency.
1. VIDEO: Who Can be
Sponsored. Private
Sponsorship of Refugees to
Canada
3. VIDEO: Refugee
Sponsorship: Making a
Difference
6. Cross-Cultural Awareness
and Conflict Management
Training Materials
[1999, 14:15 minutes, English]
[2000, 20 minutes, English]
The video explains refugee sponsorship in the Canadian context.
These training modules were
specifically designed for sponsoring
groups that privately sponsor
refugees.
The video, produces for the Refugee
Sponsorship Training Program, provides Canadians with an n understanding of the criteria used by the
Government of Canada to screen
refugee applicants overseas.
Featured in the video are interviews
with recently arrived refugees, and
those who are sponsoring them.
2. VIDEO: 50th Anniversary
UNHCR, Global View 19992000
[2000, 30 minutes, English]
The video looks back at 50 years of
refugee work, tracing the evolution
of UNHCR from its modest beginnings in Geneva and its temporary
mandate to today’s worldwide organization which operates in 120 countries and helps more than 22 million
people.
WUSC SRP Resource Library
4. REFUGEES Magazine
[Bilingual]
A journal published 4 times a year
by the UNHCR focussing on global
refugee issues. WUSC SRP has
back issues from 1992. Recent and
future issues can be ordered from
the UNHCR office in Ottawa:
[email protected]
5. The State of the World’s
Refugees
[Bilingual]
An annual publication by the
UNHCR that describes the state of
the world's refugees. It is very helpful for statistics and for presenting
the history of refugee movements.
35
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