Homestay Host Families

The Langara Homestay Program supports a network of incredible host families who provide inspiring experiences for our students. We are proud of our program’s tradition of support and community, having helped more than 40,000 international students find their home in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland over the past 35 years.  

Why families host 

Hosting an international student is a rewarding experience. The lives of Langara’s homestay families are enriched by the students they host in a variety of ways. Host families: 

• Develop lifelong friendships with individuals from around the world
• Learn about new cultures (especially valuable for the children of homestay families)
• Serve as an ambassador for Canada and BC
• Host high school or post-secondary students
• Choose between short-term and long-term hosting opportunities
• Supplement household income with up to $1,400 a month 

What makes a good host family? 

We have many different kinds of host families: parents with young children, parents with teenage or grown children, single mothers or fathers, couples without children, older couples, and single individuals without children. Vancouver is known for its multiculturalism, and our host families represent a spectrum of ethnic diversity. Every host family is unique. To be a successful host family, applicants need to: 

• Live within a reasonable commuting distance of the student’s place of study
• Be interested in hosting an international student
• Be friendly
• Be English-speaking
• Be willing to include their student in family activities
• Be willing to provide three nutritious meals per day for their students
• Help their students learn the bus route to and from school, and to other areas of the city. Students are responsible for buying their own bus pass/tickets.  

Our host families are screened before being accepted into the program and a Homestay Coordinator visits each home to meet the family members, inspect the home, and to discuss our program. If approved, host families must also attend an orientation meeting in which they learn more about our program. 

We're here to support

Families are supported by the experienced team at Langara who provide comprehensive orientation and assistance throughout the homestay period. Families are also compensated for hosting.