Yes, if positions are still available, in which case you should get in touch with the coordinator of the host province.

No, Odyssey is not a bursary program; it is a full-time work experience.

No, Odyssey language assistants work full time throughout the school year, from September to the end of May.

No, applicants’ preferences for regions, cities, and age groups have no effect on the final decision. We will attempt to accommodate successful applicants’ choices of province and especially of type of setting (suburban or rural), subject to the interviewers’ recommendations.

As for age groups, most positions available are at the elementary (5- to 12-year-olds) and secondary (12- to 18-year-olds) levels.

No, Odyssey has no age limit, but you have to meet the program’s eligibility requirements.

Basic fluency in French is an asset and is assessed during the interview. It comes in handy during the first few days with your students. You will be interviewed in your first language, with a few questions in your second language to check that you have a minimal understanding of it. However, applicants can make up for a lack of second-language skills by displaying a high degree of motivation.

Yes, if positions are still available and depending on the volume of applications. Check our Web site.

Yes. You must apply to your regional office of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada for a social insurance card or a SIN. Ask for a receipt and attach it to your application. When you receive the card, fax a photocopy of it to the coordinator of your home province or territory.

No, we recommend that you mail it to ensure confidentiality.

Send in your acceptance as soon as possible, or you might lose your position.

Yes. Click on “Where to send your application?” for the fax number of your home jurisdiction's coordinator.

Yes. You are required to send in your transcript when you apply, and a copy of your diploma or D.C.S. when you receive it.

Yes, it’s very important, since most positions are in elementary and secondary schools, where the work involves activities such as reading, movies, theatre, museums, etc.

We accept a photocopy of your passport, baptismal certificate, civil-status registration, or birth certificate.

Here’s how it works:

1. Your application is reviewed by the coordinator or ministry official in charge in your home province/territory.
2. We get in touch with you if you’re selected for an interview.
3. We send you a letter with our decision as soon as possible after the interview.
4. If you are selected, your file is sent to the coordinator of the host province, who sends you a letter.
5. If a position is available, the coordinator of the host province will send you an offer of employment.
6. If there is no position available, the letter will inform you that your name has been put on a waiting list. Note that a number of applicants withdraw and that you have a good chance of getting a position.
7. If you receive an offer of employment, you must get in touch with the coordinator of your host province as soon as possible to confirm your acceptance or withdrawal.
8. If you accept a position, you must contact the language-assistant supervisor of the host institution to plan for your arrival.

At the student financial assistance office or placement centre.

Yes, in exceptional circumstances, an interview can take place by telephone.

The interview takes place in your first language, with a few questions in your second language.

The interview takes place at the ministry/department of education or regional office where you send your application. It could also take place at an educational institution, a placement centre, or a college or university.

No, language assistants do not replace instructors or teachers. Your role is to encourage students to broaden their knowledge of your language and culture.

At the elementary and secondary levels, your work will consist mostly of preparing activities that focus on language and culture, such as oral comprehension and expression activities. You will lead these activities in class, working with the teacher, or you will work with a small group of students in a separate room.

At the postsecondary level, you may be asked to lead sessions with small groups of students in language labs.

Yes, first-time language assistants are required to attend a compulsory Pan-Canadian Training Session. In addition, host provinces organize one or more compulsory training sessions during the year.

You can indicate on your application form what school level you would like to work at. We will make every effort to accommodate your preference, but we also take into account the level recommended by your interviewers.

In exceptional cases, language assistants may be assigned to work in their home province or territory.

Yes. Full-time language assistants are required to move away from their province or territory of permanent residence for the duration of the program.

As soon as you are told where you will be working, you can contact the host institution’s language-assistant supervisor or the coordinator of the host province directly to ask for more information.

Most full-time language assistants work in elementary or secondary schools; some work in postsecondary institutions or cégeps in Quebec.

Positions for full-time English language assistants are available in Quebec and New Brunswick. Almost all positions are in small towns or rural areas.

Yes.

Language assistants receive a salary and are responsible for all their living expenses, including accommodations.

You can contact your supervisor, instructor, or teacher, who will help you as much as they can to find accommodations prior to your arrival.

Any special family situation should be brought up with your coordinator during the initial interview.

Travel allowances paid at the beginning and end of the employment period are not taxable.

No, a driver’s licence is not a requirement for selection. However, in some provinces, having a licence is preferable.

Travel allowances are calculated based on the average cost of travel at various times in the year.

If you have to move away from your home province or territory, and more than 200 km, you are eligible for an interprovincial/territorial travel allowance at the beginning and at the end of the year.

All decisions about contract renewal are made by the host institution in consultation with the coordinator.

Language assistants may participate in Odyssey for a second time, although priority is given to first-time applicants. Language assistants whose contracts are renewed are usually assigned to a new setting in order to give them a varied experience.

Yes, the salary is taxable, and your employer will provide you with a T-4 slip (a Relevé 1 in Quebec).