The mix of overseas students attending Delta secondary schools is changing, with Germany now taking top spot, although overall numbers in the school district's international program are stable.
Currently, after Germany, the other top-five source countries are China, Japan, Italy and Spain in a program where students come from 30 countries.
Five years ago, China was the largest source of students followed by South Korea, Japan and Vietnam, said Karen Symonds, director of international student programs with Delta School District.
“There’s definitely been a shift,” said Symonds, noting that students from Europe tend to stay for shorter periods such as six months, although Spanish students often stay the whole year.
“Ten years ago, or 12 years ago, when I started in international programs, if you had asked me if that was ever going to be the case, I would have said, no way.”
German students like Delta's mix of rural, suburban and city surroundings, the sports, ski clubs and field trips and the fact that Delta School District runs its own home-stay program instead of contracting that out to an external agency, she said.
She added that every culture brings its own benefits and challenges.
“The diversity in the program is really desirable for a variety of reasons,” she said.
The impact of COVID-19, as well as, “challenges and delays for students coming from China to get study permits,” as well as from Vietnam, has resulted in some families being reluctant to apply because of the uncertainty and long lead times required.
And despite the federal government’s reduction in the number of international student permits at the post-secondary (university and college) education level, there’s been no effect on the numbers of international students in primary or high school.
“Currently, there are no plans to limit study permits for minor students coming and studying because there’s not the same concern over abuses I guess, in the system,” she said, adding they’re not placing a burden on housing.
Host families receive $1,150 a month, which will be rising to $1,200 a month in September 2025.
Last school year, Delta School District accepted 630 international students and this year, 658.
“It is a stable situation though, I would say,” Symonds said, although some countries are going through economic slow downs.
“We are stable here as well, because we continue to have a plateau in our home stay availability.”
Ideally, there would be a slightly larger pool of home-stay families in Delta for the program, she added.
“But there’s still high demand. The program is very highly regarded around the world, highly thought of,” with applications already coming for next year, she added.
The net cash contribution of the international student programs to Delta School District in 2023/24 was $5.2 million.
Other countries such as Taiwan, Turkey and Thailand could also in the future supply more students.
