International Student Orientation Day 1: Pre-Arrival Session - December 16, 2020 - Winter Semester - Camosun College
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Agenda INSTAGRAM POST! ► Territorial Acknowledgement Take an orientation ► Welcome & Team Introduction photo and tag ► Get Ready for Your First Semester @camosunintl ► Break (5min) ► Travel to Canada & Quarantine ► Counselling Support ► Immigration ► Open Q & A ► Reminders & Newsletters
Territorial Acknowledgement Camosun College campuses are located on the traditional territories of the Lekwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples. We acknowledge their welcome and graciousness to the students who seek knowledge here. Providing a territorial acknowledgment is a way for us, as visitors, to thank and acknowledge the caretakers of the places where we work, live, and play.
Congratulations and Welcome to Camosun! WELCOME! You've made a great choice—over the past 50 years, Camosun has become one of BC's most comprehensive colleges and has earned an outstanding reputation for teaching excellence. You're joining a family of more than 60,000 alumni who are making a difference all over the world! Our highly trained staff are ready to work with you to assist your goals while here at Camosun. Enjoy your time at Camosun and we look forward to welcoming you in person! Welcome to our Orientation for Winter 2021!
Get Ready for Your First Semester Important Information ► What Does Your 2021 Winter Semester Look Like? ► Online Learning Requirements ► Medical Insurance Information ► Housing & Scams ► Life in Victoria ► Before Your First Day ► Open Q & A
What does the Winter semester look like? ► Courses that can be delivered remotely will continue in this format throughout winter 2021, while components that require face-to-face instruction or access to specialized equipment will continue to be delivered in a way that is safe for students and employees. ► Our mixed-delivery model has ensured that students are able to meet all of their learning outcomes. ► The direction from the Provincial Health Officer, the B.C. Government and WorkSafeBC will continue to guide us in the coming months. ► Students can still access all the support and services to help them succeed during their time at Camosun. There is also limited access to some library services and the culinary arts students are providing some food and beverage options at Interurban.
Course Delivery Methods for Winter 2021 Timetable Definitions Make sure to ► Online asynchronous: no set meeting schedule (asynchronous) double check what time the courses ► Online synchronous: online scheduled dates/times (synchronous); if applicable, room provided for will be delivered in virtual remote your time zone, if ► Blended: on-campus, online and off-campus; location listed as campus-blended; scheduled you are not dates/times with on-campus showing bldgs/rooms in Victoria, BC. ► On-Campus: location listed as campus; scheduled dates/times/bldgs/rooms ► Off-Campus: location listed as off-campus; if applicable, scheduled dates/times/bldgs/rooms For online synchronous and blended courses, instructors may plan a combination of synchronous and asynchronous lessons. For on-campus courses, instructors may need to organize smaller groups of students to rotate on-campus attendance due to health and safety guidelines. Instructors will provide details in the first week of the semester. Course: A particular subject Online Learning Resources (e.g. ENGL 151) http://camosun.ca/services/orientation/online-learning.html Section: A 3–5-digit number listed after the course number (e.g. ENGL 151 001).
Online learning requirements - INTERNET Here are some things you should consider before deciding to study overseas: ► Will you have access to reliable and strong Internet connection and a computer with a camera and microphone? ► Please review: http://camosun.ca/services/orientation/online-learning.html#requirements ► You may need to log into Camosun College labs remotely. Is this a possibility for you? ► http://camosun.ca/services/its/computer-labs/
Online learning requirements - TEXTBOOKS ► Make sure that you purchase your textbooks at the Bookstore early to ensure timely delivery. You will need to know your course codes and section numbers (e.g. ACCT 111-001 in order to find your textbooks.) ► Know how to order Digital or Printed copies ► Website: webhttps://www.camosuncollegebookstore.ca/ ► Textbooks vary in price and may cost more than $100 each ► Payment must be made by a credit card
Online learning requirements – CLASSES ► Are you comfortable logging in and participating in classes that may happen during night-time hours in your home country? ► There may be specific times in the week you need to be online with your class. You may be required to do some group work with other students, participate in online discussions, and take scheduled tests. ► Log into D2L and familiarize yourself with the Desire to Learn online platform ► Camosun.ca ► Read the "D2L Student Guide" ► Join the D2L Orientation session on January 7, 2021
Medical Insurance International students are required to have medical insurance for the entire duration of their studies in Canada ► During the first three months upon arrival, International students in Camosun College are enrolled in Guard.me that covers medical services to address new and unexpected illness or injury (COVID included). IMPORTANT: Your coverage will be from your arrival date in Canada You must inform us as soon as you have your arrival date confirmed. ► If students are planning to stay in British Columbia (BC) for more than six months, they are eligible for the BC Medical Services Plan (MSP) after three months living in the province. ► You MUST apply for MSP as soon as you arrive in BC. How to Apply for MSP
Housing in Victoria Join the Friends of Camosun Because of COVID-19 and physical distancing, Camosun College International has suspended the homestay service. Facebook group Here are some resources for finding accommodation: • Living in Victoria: Renting • Camosun College Student Society (CCSS): Camosun Housing Services The following organizations provide information and support to tenants in BC: • BC Residential Tenancy Branch • Rent Smart
The Residential Tenancy Act: Laws and policies change often due to COVID-19. BC Law that covers tenancies For up-to-date information please visit the BC ➢ Protects tenants and landlords Property Management Government website ➢ Laws about: Companies, for example Starting a tenancy Brown Bros. Cap Rent During a tenancy Devon Properties Ending a tenancy After a tenancy Websites, for example For more information visit BC Government UVIC Off-Campus Housing Registry Used Victoria Housing Information and Support Friends of Camosun RentSmart - Education and Support Society International FaceBook TRAC - Tenant Resource and Advisory Centre COVID-19 and BC Tenancies
Housing & Phone Scams ➢ Be careful with phone and email scams from IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada), CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) and others. ➢ NEVER share personal information over the phone or email with someone you do not know (address, SIN number, passport, ID# etc) ➢ NEVER send money to someone before seeing the home! ➢ Make sure the Landlord has the keys and can show you around ➢ Take someone with you, see the inside and walk around with the landlord. ➢ If it’s too good to be true, it might be a scam.
Life in Victoria Pre-departure Information Get your Camosun ID and bus pass Shopping centers & entertainment • The Bay Center, Hillside, Uptown • IMAX, RBC Museum, Cineplex Open a bank account link • Coast Capital, BMO, TD, HSBC, RBC, CIBC Parks & Recreation Centers link • Beacon Hill, Willows Beach, Thetis Lake, • Mt Douglas, Goldstream Park Get a phone line & Internet • Gordon Head, Oak Bay, Crystal Pool • Shaw, TELUS, Bell, Virgin Mobile, Fido Grocery stores • Save-on-Foods, Walmart, Fairways, Thrifty Apply for your BC ID and SIN number Useful websites • UsedVictoria, Kijiji, Craigslist, Meetup, Explore your neighborhood! • Friends of Camosun Facebook page • @camosunintl IG
Physical Distancing in BC BC residents must practice physical distancing. We must be at least 2 meters away from others, except people who live in the same home. We can: We cannot: • Go to the store to buy food and • Meet with people who do not medicine, using a mask (after the live in the same household. No quarantine period) friends, family members • Go see a doctor if an appointment Take the public transportation requests your physical presence; • without masks otherwise, phone/video appointments Indoor spaces without a mask are available • or physical distance • Go for a walk by ourself or with someone Go on campus without who lives in our home, always keeping • previous approval distance between other people
Before Your First Day of Classes ✔ Log onto Camlink ✔ Log onto D2L access one week before classes ✔ Sign up for free Office 365
Request your Camosun ID You can request your Camosun ID card, which is also your bus pass, directly with the Library Services by completing their online form for below: • http://camosun.ca/services/library/id-cards.html Many of Camosun’s online services use your Camosun domain account to log in (Camlink, D2L, etc). Other services may use a different username, password, or both. For details, please check ITS Student Accounts page: http://camosun.ca/services/its/student -accounts.html
International Students’ First Semester Checklist ✔ Apply for Co-op Work Permit as soon as possible, if internships/practicums is a mandatory part of your program ✔ Apply for Criminal Record Check (CRC) immediately if your program requires this (for example, Practical Nursing, Health Care Assistance, and Sport and Exercise Education programs) ✔ Check your fees before the fee deadline (January 22, 2021) ✔ Get to know your program. Reach out to the International Academic Advisor with your questions ✔ Connect with ISEAs for any concerns Important: if you need or wish to defer your start to a future semester, please contact Admissions (international_admissions@camosun.ca) before January 4th or your deposit will be forfeit.
International Admissions Deferral Process ► To defer to the next available intake ü Summer (May) 2021 ü Fall (September) 2021 ► Notify us before January 4, 2020 ► Deferrals after semester started ü Before fee deadline ü After fee deadline
Refund ► First semester tuition and fee deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable ► If your Study Permit application is refused by IRCC you will receive a full refund, less $300 CAD administrative fee ► Refund due to COVID-19 pandemic
Need further assistance? Contact International Admissions ► international_admissions@camosun.ca
ISEAs - Contact us Lansdowne & Interurban International Student Experience Advisors International Student Experience Advisors Your point of contact at Camosun International Email: international_advisors@camosun.bc.ca Please include your student ID and full Laura Ensor Renata Minholi Sahar Anjum name in every email or phone message. We will get back to you as soon as possible. Joey Tian Luzia Simoes
How can we help you? ► Registration support ► Medical Insurance ► Immigration questions and required documents for permit applications ► Tuition, Fees and Deadlines ► Booking appointments with Academic Advisors ► Referrals to Counsellors and Co-op Experience Facilitators ► Information on services available at the college ► Information on study, life and work in Canada
Camosun Website Find important dates and Use the fee deadlines Search bar to look up Request enrollment letters keywords Find study plans for your program Research prerequisites and course descriptions Navigate the library website COVID-19 Latest updates and FAQs
International Student Testimonials Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTIs0_1-1IE
Travel to Canada
Travel to Canada For updated Camosun College is one of the Designated Learning Institutions (DLI) information, approved to accept international students traveling to Canada and has a always access COVID-19 readiness plan approved by the Province of British Columbia. IRCC's website We want to make sure you have a solid travel and quarantine plan, a safe place to stay, and medical insurance. We will also need to collect information about your current study permit, entry visa and passport so we can issue you some supporting documents, such as a Travel Support Letter, and give you tips. You must quarantine for 14 days when arriving in Canada The Government of Canada has put in place an emergency order under the Quarantine Act. It applies to all travelers arriving in Canada. Its purpose is to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Canada. Failure to comply with this order is an offence under the Quarantine Act. If you are planning to travel to Canada, please email us at international_advisors@camosun.bc.ca so we can guide you through the process.
Travelers to Canada – Continued Make sure you have health You must be symptom free in order to travel to Canada. Please make sure you insurance and review the following important links to better understand the law, rules and apply for MSP regulations about international travel during COVID-19: upon arrival • Travel Exemptions and Restrictions • For information about COVID 19 in British Colombia and BC's response visit the Government of BC. • Approved DLIs list • Use ArriveCAN to enter Canada Be informed. • Understanding the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) requirements Read the • What happens if you do not follow the established quarantine rules? To learn more, information and guidelines. please check out the Compliance and Enforcement information. • Detailed information on Travel restrictions, exemptions and advice from the Government of Canada • Camosun College Quarantine Website
Quarantine Support
Tips for Quarantine http://camosun.ca/covid19/quarantine/
Quarantine Check-Ins WHAT? Tips for Wellness from the International Student Counsellors Opportunity to check-in, ask questions, share experiences WHEN? Every Wednesday starting January 13 WHERE? Microsoft Teams Link to join will be sent by email. Let us know if you’re quarantining @ international_advisors@Camosun.ca
Counselling Support for International Students
Private and For issues confidential big and small Free for students Counselling is … Personal, One of the Academic many and Career support Topics services
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT COUNSELLORS Brian Herron Marie Abbott Anna Stein camosun.ca/international/current-students/counselling.html
Booking a Counselling Appointment For students located in Canada: Please phone 250-370-3571 to schedule an appointment with an international student counsellor. Monday-Friday 9am-4pm PST
24/7 confidential mental health counselling and community referrals App, phone and web support services Here2talk.ca In Canada: 1-877-857-3397 Outside Canada: +1-604-642-5212 *Intl calling charges may apply All BC post-secondary students (located inside or outside Canada) can access Here2Talk
Camosun College Closure Winter Break 2020
PLEASE NOTE Camosun College will be closed from: Dec 25, 2020 to Jan 1, 2021 The college reopens on Monday Jan 4, 2021. Camosun Counselling Services is not available while the college is closed. Please contact if you require support.
Immigration
Immigration You are responsible for maintaining your immigration status and complying with immigration regulations while you are in Canada. International Student Advisors can provide you with information about the following: ► Immigration documentation you need to study as an International Student ► Maintaining your documents and legal status ► Co-op Work Permit ► Working off campus as an international student ► Post-Graduation Work Permit Always refer to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) website: How the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is affecting immigration, refugees, citizenship and passport services: visitors, foreign workers and students.
Study Permit: “Citizenship and Immigration Canada requires that all students studying in Canada hold a valid study permit. It is illegal to study in Canada without proper authorization.” Most international students in Canada will require two important immigration documents issued by IRCC in order to study in Canada. These two documents are: • A valid study permit and • A Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). If you are transferring from a post-secondary school in Canada, you must inform IRCC of your Designated Learning Institution (DLI) change. Camosun College’s DLI number is O19361235542. Visit the IRCC website for more information.
“It is your responsibility to make sure that your Study Permit is valid. All students must be progressing towards completion of their program.” EXTENDING YOUR STUDY PERMIT If you plan to study beyond your study permit’s expiry date, it is your responsibility to apply for an extension before it expires. Apply to extend your study permit 30-90 days before the expiry date. Do NOT let your study permit expire. You will need a supporting letter and a transcript from the International Office which can be ordered online by filling our “Online Letter Request Form”. Request these documents at least two months in advance. For up-to-date information about study permit extension, contact IRCC directly. For more information on Canadian Study Permits and Entry Visas, please visit the IRCC website at cic.gc.ca.
Be aware of the expiry dates of your travel documents! Be aware of processing times: IRCC website Questions? Contact IRCC with your case-specific enquiry using their online web form.
WHO NEEDS A STUDY PERMIT DURING COVID-19? STUDENTS IN CANADA Must have a Valid Study Permit OR Implied Status for Study Permit
WHO NEEDS A STUDY PERMIT DURING COVID-19? STUDENTS OUTSIDE OF CANADA • Could start studies without study permit if don’t want to apply for Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) in future • If want to apply for PGWP in future, then must have one of the following: • Valid Study Permit or • Letter of Invitation or • Applied for study permit before starting your program in 2021W If applied for Study Permit before starting your program in 2021W then there are two possible scenarios: Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Study permit application is approved Study permit application is rejected Time spent studying in 2021W without study permit Time spent studying in 2021W without study permit will be included in PGWP will NOT be included in PGWP (only holders of study permit could apply for PGWP) No refund of deposit or tuition fee
Study Permit & Post Graduation Work Permit • Students may now study online from abroad until April 30, 2021, with no time deducted from the length of a future post-graduation work permit, provided 50% of their program of study is eventually completed in Canada. • Students who have enrolled in a program that is between 8 and 12 months in length, with a start date from May to September 2020, will be able to complete their entire program online from abroad and still be eligible for a post-graduation work permit. • Students who have enrolled in a program with a start date from May to September 2020 and study online up to April 30, 2021, and who graduate from more than one eligible program of study, may be able to combine the length of their programs of study when they apply for a post-graduation work permit in the future, as long as 50% of their total studies are completed in Canada. To be eligible for these measures, students must have submitted a study permit application before starting a program of study in the spring, summer, or fall 2020 semester, or the January 2021 semester. All students must eventually be approved for a study permit. For more information, please visit IRCC website.
Working Off Campus ▪ Winter 2021 is your first semester in your program. Therefore, you can only work part-time (20h/week) off-campus. ▪ During Summer 2020, international students providing essential services were temporarily allowed to work more than 20 hours per week. This provision ends at the end of August 2020. Please check IRCC website for Winter 2021 rules here. ▪ You must be enrolled full time (minimum 3 courses) in a diploma or degree program. English Language Development (ELD) and upgrading students cannot work off campus. ▪ Please obtain a SIN# from Service Canada. You will need this to work in Canada. Co-op/Internship Work Term or Practicum ▪ Co-op Work Permit required ▪ Make sure to request it at the border ▪ This permit can only be used for co-op/internship/practicum and cannot be used any other time.
Post Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) You must maintain full time enrolment status during your diploma and/or degree program, and only take breaks during “Scheduled Break”. Online courses won’t affect your PGWP eligibility If your in-class courses are being moved to an online-only format because of COVID-19, you’re still eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWP). If you have a study permit or have been approved for a study permit or have applied for a study permit for a program starting in Summer or Fall, but you can’t travel to Canada at this time due to travel restrictions, you’re also still eligible for the PGWPP. If you’re in this situation, you may ● begin your classes while outside Canada, and ● complete up to 50% of your program while outside Canada, if you can’t travel to Canada sooner.
Upcoming webinars and info sessions Please stay tuned! We will be offering workshops for: ► Study Permit Extension ► Co-op Work Permit ► PGWP Application Process Keep checking your emails for the updates!
Camosun International From where you are, to where you want to go! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMefX3qtRuI&t=1s
Reminders SERVICE HOURS: • Please be patient with us! We are receiving a high volume of e- Monday-Friday mails and we will answer yours as quickly as we can.☺ 9am to 4pm (PST) • Remember to include your full name, student ID number and your complete question to your e-mail to us. • Make sure your current home address, phone number and e-mail address are up to date on Camlink. That is very important for us to be able to reach you! • For everyone’s safety and health, please DO NOT come to the campus. Service is being provided exclusively remotely (by e-mail and perhaps phone).
Student Affairs – Communication Stay tuned for more updates from Camosun! • Winter 2021 Welcome Week – January 11 to 15, 2021 (information to be updated on the website shortly) • Winter 2021 Pre-Arrival Newsletters for new-to-institution students (newsletters are uploaded to the orientation website under student newsletters). • Students will receive communications as per the following schedule: • November 24 - Welcome to Camosun • December 1 - Technology Needs / Online and Alternative Delivery • December 8 - Pre-Start To-Do’s • December 15 - Student Rights and Responsibilities CAMOSUN • December 22 - Camosun College Student Society INTERNATIONAL • January 5 - Getting Involved at Camosun NEWSLETTER • January 11 - Welcome Week
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLZvGTAERyc
Welcome to Victoria! Don’t be Still have questions? shy to ask! Please check our Student Handbook, the camosun.ca website or contact us at international_advisors @camosun.ca
Follow us: See you on DAY 2 January 6! Friends of Camosun @camosunintl Camosun International International Please make sure you register for DAY 2 at: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3357956200499705867
WELCOME TO CAMOSUN! THANK YOU!
You can also read