Market intelligence for international student recruitment from ICEF
2nd Sep 2020

ICEF Podcast: Building safe student corridors: A case study from Canada

Our podcast series continues with a closer look at some comprehensive plans and protocols for safe student arrivals during the pandemic.

The Canadian example is an interesting one for a couple of reasons. Owing to a limited exception to a ban on international travellers, students that already had student visas in hand as of mid-March have been granted an exemption to travel to Canada to begin or continue studies this year.

But having a visa and having permission to enter the country is one thing. There are many more details to sort out when it comes to travel planning, pre-departure checks, safety while in transit, quarantine after arrival, and then transition to homestays or other longer-term housing.

We have seen a number of stakeholders step forward with detailed and comprehensive plans for safe student arrivals this year, and this episode features two guests who have really made important contributions in this respect.

Rachel Lindsay is the director of international affairs and operations for Languages Canada, the country’s peak body for the language teaching sector. And Karen Symonds is the director of international education for the Delta School District in Delta, British Columbia.

They join our host – Robin Garcha, ICEF's director for Canada – for a wide-ranging discussion around the practicalities of safely welcoming international students this year. 

You can listen to the episode in the player below, and we encourage you to subscribe via your favourite podcast app in order to receive future episodes automatically.

For additional background, please see: 

Most Recent

  • Offering reassurance to international students after they apply is increasingly key to securing enrolments Read More
  • Ireland’s ELT sector reports modest growth in student numbers but weeks are down amid “real and consequential” challenges Read More
  • Japan: Japanese proficiency essential for foreign graduates staying on to work Read More

Most Popular

  • Which countries will contribute the most to global student mobility in 2030? Read More
  • Research shows link between study abroad and poverty alleviation  Read More
  • Beyond the Big Four: How demand for study abroad is shifting to destinations in Asia and Europe Read More

Because you found this article interesting

Ireland’s ELT sector reports modest growth in student numbers but weeks are down amid “real and consequential” challenges The English Language Training (ELT) sector in Ireland delivered 609,734 weeks of English instruction to 124,789 students in...
Read more
Japan: Japanese proficiency essential for foreign graduates staying on to work An increasing number of fast-growing study abroad destinations – outside of the so-called Big Four of Australia, Canada,...
Read more
Why are so many international students choosing to study in Türkiye? Türkiye used to be a niche study abroad destination, but not anymore. A rapidly growing number of international...
Read more
Recruiting in Colombia demands a long-term presence and communication with parents A new report from EdCo LATAM Consulting explores the culture within which Colombian students and families make choices...
Read more
UK’s ELT sector reports declining enrolments through first quarter of 2026 The UK’s English-language teaching sector (ELT) experienced a challenging year in 2025, though the decline in students and...
Read more
US visa processing centres in Africa to be reduced by more than half; only the latest barrier for African students The Trump administration’s clampdown on immigration from Africa is intensifying, and the government has introduced new measures to...
Read more
Brazil: New surveys show strong, but price-sensitive, demand for study abroad New survey results show strong interest in study abroad among Brazilian students and an optimistic outlook on the...
Read more
Bipartisan congressional group calls on US administration to preserve Duration of Status for international student visas There was something different about this year’s annual NAFSA conference. The experience was wonderfully familiar in many ways,...
Read more
What are you looking for?
Quick Links