Canadian universities are preparing for the arrival of international students

As there are only three weeks left for the arrival of international students, post-secondary educational institutions are gearing up for making arrangements for their quarantine.

Canadian colleges and universities are planning to conduct online classes mostly, but there have to be at least a certain number of face-to-face sessions. Hence, each college is making its own plan to deal with the students' return in the pandemic.

For instance, Vancouver Island University is mandating its students who come from other countries to quarantine in its residence rooms. The University of Victoria is asking the students to complete their quarantine off-campus.

The number of students at UVic is 3000, which is nearly the same as the previous year. It doesn't mean how many students will be traveling to Canada presently, as some students may opt for online classes, and some may be present in Canada already.

43 students reserved residences on-campus. Rose-Marie Roxburgh, the

associate director of business operations in Residence Services said that the university is now getting connected to these students and where they will be coming from and whether they need to be quarantined.

She said that no student would be permitted to quarantine in residence.

She also said that the university had contacted the students to make sure they have complete information about the quarantine period, which needs to be done before 6 September, before they move in.

She said, "And I've been working with International Student Services to arrange for options like hotels."

The number of residential beds available has been decreased to 800 from around 2,300 in 2020, and no one will be allowed to share rooms to overcome the risk of spreading COVID-19. All the students will be provided by residence spaces, irrespective of their preference to continue classes in the online mode or off-line mode.

In the Vancouver Island University, all the students coming from foreign countries are needed to be quarantined in residence, irrespective of their preference to live on campus or outside.

Ian Johnsrude, VIU's manager of student housing, said, "Our No. 1 priority is supporting our students and keeping our community safe and we have a robust plan in place that follows the most current guidelines."

7 beds from 20 residence spaces are booked until now for quarantine, Johnsrude said.

The quarantined students will receive 3 meals a day, which will be delivered to their room, and they will have their own bathroom.

The cost of the quarantine program is $50 to $60 a night.

Johnsrude said that many students preferred online studies, and some students are already in Canada before the pandemic began. This reduces the number of students traveling to Canada considerably.

Geoff Wilmshurst, responsible for non-government funded programs at the Camosun college, like international education, said that the case is the same even at the Camosun College.

Wilmshurst said that among 1,300 foreign students enrolled in the fall, only about 50 students, who already had study permits, are arriving overseas. There will be practically no international students in the first-year on campus because they weren't able to get study permits.

Camosun staff have selected hotels for students who require to quarantine. They will also provide a hamper with food and essential toiletries to help them get through the quarantine period of two weeks. Wilmshurst said that the staff would be checking in with students regularly throughout the quarantine period.

He said, "We're feeling that we put everything in place that we know we're required to put in place to have a safe start to the school year."