Host FAQ

Question 1: Should I provide meals to guests/students?
Answer: Only if agreed upon in advance. This is your choice, however if you can or are willing many students prefer to have their meals supplied by the hosting families.

Question 2: Do I have to be living in the home with student/guest?
Answer: No you do not. We have visitors looking for Shared and Private Accommodations. Meals and No meal packages. We have many families offering private accommodation or separate suites.

Question 3: How long is usually student/guest average stay?
Answer: About 6 months, but could be up to 1 or 2 years.

Question 4: How old are the students / guests ?
Answer: We ask all applicants to be minimum 19 years of age. We do not accept any responsibility in terms of the age and quality of the student / guest. We offer an open ended system fully automated system and candidates are not screened by us. That being said, most international candidates are here to learn the language and culture. If they were here to cause trouble it would be much easier and cheaper to do it in their country. Most older students pay their own way and thus have more responsibility than younger student in their early teens.

Question 5: How many host families do you have?
Answer: We have hundreds of Host families and service Vancouver, Victoria, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and many other Canadian cities.

Question 6: How soon can I expect to have a student placed with me?
Answer: As soon as the subscription payment is received, you will have full access to contact all registered students/guest. We have guests who have found placements within a few hours.

Question 7: Do I have to own my home or apartment?
Answer: No, as long as you are allowed to sublet

Question 8: Do you check out the student?
Answer: No students / guests are free to register themselves. Agencies from overseas often enter the students' information in our database as well. International students usually go through a screening process at their home country in order to be granted a study permit by our embassies abroad. That being said, due diligence is never a bad thing and families are encouraged to go through their own screening process just as one would with any new tenant.

Question 9: Does it help to be bi-lingual?
Answer: Some time that can be very helpful, but students are expected to learn or improve their English. Most student exchange organizations, schools, colleges, and universities prefer that International students/guests stay in Homestay for the same reasons.

Question 10: Do most of the guests/students speak English?
Answer: Most of them do, but some are beginners, intermediate or advanced. We also accommodate native or advanced English speaking students from other parts of the country and from anywhere in the world.

Question 11: Do your room have flexible rates?
Answer: Yes you may negotiate your own rate. Our rates on our site are intended to be at a fair market value for your area, but ultimately the rate you receive for your room are decided by you. It will be the agreed amount. We ask all hosts applicants to try and stay within the market rate schedule indicated on our homestay rates pages. This will help you to ensure your room(s) are always occupied.

Question 12: How much do I earn?
Answer: Please review your city market prices on our website's rates page. This must be paid in cash at the end of every month unless agreed upon otherwise. Usually a damage deposit of half month's rent is also collected.

Question 13: Does Homestay rate include utilities, and which utilities?
Answer: YES, it does include utilities; like hydro, cable, Internet access, heat and hot water. Telephone is not included, but it is up to you. Utilities will depend on the package agreed upon in advance to the student. Some students are okay without internet access but others are not.

Question 14: What areas of my home the student should have access to?
Answer: The student should have access to common areas of the house; like a living room, bathroom, garden, and you need to the student how to use your laundry machines and kitchen.

Question 15: Do you ask the student for a damage deposit?
Answer: Many families do ask the student for damage deposit. It is not a standard procedure in hosting international students but the choice is yours. If you are concerned about this, we recommend that you should have a home insurance policy in place that covers your belonging and your home.

Question 16: By signing an agreement with your company, do I have to work exclusively with you?
Answer: No. we would just like to have the opportunity to place students with you. The agreement grants you full access to our database and allows you the freedom to contact students directly and coordinate your schedule to suit your needs.

Question 17: How long does it take to process my application?
Answer: You will have access to the database usually within 1 hour of payment being received.

Question 18: Can I change the information on my application?
Answer: Yes, however any details of your offering are to be negotiated directly with the student/guest.

Question 19: How many photos can I upload?
Answer: N/A unless requested for a specific placement.

Question 20: Can I specify a preferred gender?
Answer: Absolutely, your home is your personal space and comfort zone. We want both you and our guests to be comfortable. Hosts who are comfortable accommodating both male and female students, may enjoy much higher occupancy. You may contact whomever you feel comfortable within our database. You will have complete access to all students.

Question 21: Will there be any students under age 19?
Answer: We do not allow this but as we do not screen students this is sometimes a possibility. Host families are required to check identification and under no circumstances provided accommodations for students that are under the age of 19.

Question 22: Does your company pay the rent?
Answer: NO, the student will pay you directly most likely in cash unless agreed to in advance.

Question 23: Is there a limit to how many students am I allowed at the same time?
Answer: NO, there is no set limit to the number of students that you can host, but each student/guest must have his own private bedroom with a door and window. With exception to couples traveling together, they may share a room, or in crowded resort areas like Whistler BC or the Rockies in the winter or high season, shared rooms must be agreed upon at the time of reservation by the client.

Question 24: Will the student have a car?
Answer: Usually the students rely on public transportation.

Question 25: Does the room need to be furnished?
Answer: YES, at least with a bed, dresser, and desk with lamp. The more features the room has the more attractive to students/guests.

Question 26: If I have a furnished one bedroom or two bedroom suites in the house, is this suitable?
Answer: YES, must be fully furnished, have good heating for winter and ventilation in the summer.

Question 27: How near should my house/apartment the student’s school?
Answer: We like to keep it within a 60 minute commute.

Question 28: How do I know if my home location is suitable?
Answer: You need to be with close walking distance to the public transport and within 60 minutes by transit from major ESL, Vocational, Community, or Academic Schools and Colleges.

Question 29: Can I be a Homestay host even though I am a single person?
Answer: YES

Question 30: Do I get someone to come and visit my home?
Answer: NO, we mainly rely on the photographs and your honest descriptions that you provide us at the application time. We also rely on references, student/guest feedback and testimonials.

Question 31: After completing the application, is there a waiting list?
Answer: NO, you are free to contact the students/guest As soon as possible.

Question 32: Does NO WAITING LIST mean that I will get a student or guest right away?
Answer: Possibly, it depends on if you feel there is a suitable match in our database and at what date the student is to come into the country.

Question 33: My place is not ready yet, should I apply now?
Answer: YES, you should if you are sure about your plans, many students/guest are looking for homestay a few months in advance. The sooner you start looking for a student the better chance of placement being found.

Question 34: Is there a fee to access your agency database?
Answer: YES, This fee will grant you access to our database for a period of one year. Please view the rates here.

Question 35: What happens after I complete the application and paid the fee?
Answer: You will be sent a user name and password that will grant you full access to our database for the full time period. You may receive a call or email from homestay coordinator depending on the information that you submitted.

Question 36: How do you book my guestroom?
Answer: You will be responsible for contacting the students directly from our database and booking accommodations.

Question 37: How does the student or his parents pay me?
Answer: The student or guest is expected to pay the monthly homestay fee/rent to you directly in Cash or by personal check upon arrival in advance for the upcoming month. We advise not to accept foreign checks.

Question 38: If the student would like to leave earlier, what should be the arrangement?
Answer: The student or guest should give the host at least a four-week prior notice, unless it is an emergency whereby a two-week notice should be sufficient. This should allow you enough time to find another student from our extensive database.

Question 39: What do I do when the student arrives?
Answer: To a student or guest, first impression is very important; therefore, we highly recommend that you take the time out of your busy schedule to show your new student or guest around your neighbourhood and show where to catch the bus and get school. Some students would also like to open bank account at a bank branch nearby or get to know how to do their basic shopping.
As host, you also need to show your guest or student around your home and let them know how to use your kitchen equipment, laundry machines, and give them tips on how to stay safe in and outside your home and what to do in case of any emergency. Students normally get very busy later one when they start school, so first week is a great time to bond and know each other.

Canada's Premier Homestay Agency for Students / Guests

Host FAQ

Canada's Premier Homestay Agency