As students head back to class, many Maritime schools are rolling out the welcome mat for international students.
More international students are attending Maritime high schools than ever, which means a boost for the bottom line in local school districts.
Jarbas Omena is from Brazil but is bound for Yarmouth. Omena is one of 1,100 international students in Nova Scotia this year – an increase of 30 per cent from last year.
“I want to improve my English and have an experience in another country, in another school,” says Omena.
An influx of international students translates into an exchange of ideas and cultures but also of money. The Halifax Regional School Board will earn more than $1.2 million this year.
High school tuition for some students is on par with some universities, costing between $8,500 and $9,500 a year. That doesn’t include accommodations at $650 a month, plus medical insurance and flights, for a grand total of almost $20,000 for some students.
“It’s money that contributes to this program but it’s also money that contributes to our general revenue,” says Doug Hadley, spokesperson for the Halifax Regional School Board. “We see it as both enriching for students coming as well as students who are here."
This year, there have been hiccups; a strike by foreign service officers has created a backlog of Visas, pushing back the start date for some students.
“Numerous delayed flights, students that haven’t gotten their paperwork, who have had to wait a day, a week sometimes,” says Kim Colburn of the Nova Scotia International Student Program.
Colburn says, given the trend of international students, the strike likely won’t deter students from arriving next year.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Sarah Plowman
