International Exchange homestay program in London Ontario
Families with children in London Ontario!
Do you live within about a 30-minute drive from London?
Would you like to enjoy international exchange?”
Let’s do a cultural exchange at your home this summer!
Receive【$1500】homestay fees, this Summer 2025! – From July 23 to August 16
Host a Japanese Student, and Enjoy a Cultural Exchange Experience!
This summer, a group of 10 Japanese students will be visiting London.
1 Temporary hold
2 Temporary hold
3 Temporary hold
4 Now accepting applications
5 Now accepting applications
6 Now accepting applications
1 Temporary hold
2 Temporary hold
3 Now accepting applications
4 Now accepting applications
The student wants to spend a lot of time with your family to experience Canadian summer life and will not be attending school during their stay.
Host Family Application Guidelines
How Much Do You Receive as Compensation? / Homestay Fees
As a host family, you will welcome a Japanese student into your home as part of your family.
In return, you will receive $1500 as the homestay fee.
This fee covers the following:
- Food, drinks, and snacks for the student during their stay.
- Costs for family activities and trips (e.g., hotel fees, admission fees) for the student.
You do not need to buy personal items for the student, such as clothes.
The student will have a small allowance for personal purchases.
When? How Long Will Your Japanese Student Stay?
The Japanese student will stay with you for 4 weeks, from July 23, 2025, to August 16, 2025.
Program Schedule for 2025:
July 22 (Tuesday) – Arrival Day: The homestay group (students and chaperone) arrives in London by chartered bus and stays at Fanshawe College Conference Centre.
July 23 (Wednesday) – First Day at Homestay: The host family picks up the students from the conference centre.
August 3 (Saturday) – Mid-Term Gathering: The students and host families will participate in Aikido (Japanese martial arts) trial lessons and other fun activities.
August 16 (Saturday) – Last Day at Homestay: The host family drops off the students at the conference centre for their return trip.
August 17 (Sunday) – Departure Day: The students leave for Japan.
What should I do if a problem arises during the homestay?
During the homestay, the homestay coordinator and Japanese chaperone (adult supervisor) will provide support both the host family and the Japanese student. Please contact to us.
Who Can Be a Host Family?
To qualify as a host family, you must meet all of the following requirements:
- You have children who are between 10 years old and 16 years old in your home (as of July 2025).
AND
- All family members (parents, children, etc.) must speak English at a native level. The Japanese student is coming to learn English, so only English should be spoken in front of the student.
AND
- You are a Canadian resident: No international students or temporary residents.
AND
- Adult supervision during the day: You arrange for adult supervision for your children during the day. This could be a parent, older sibling, relative (like a grandparent), a neighbor, or even a babysitter. The goal is to ensure that children are not left alone at home.
AND
- Host parent(s) and your child will spend plenty of time with the student, and enjoy getting to know each other.
AND
- We are looking for families with a clean and comfortable living space where the student can feel at home. It is important that areas such as the kitchen, living room, and bathroom are well-kept and tidy, as a clean environment contributes to the comfort of everyone in the household.
Japanese Student’s Age and Information
You will receive information about your Japanese student in February or March 2025. The student will be 11 to 17 years old.
We will try to match your child with a Japanese student of the same sex, similar age, and similar interests.
For host families with boys, we will match you with a male student.
For host families with girls, we will match you with a female student.
Host Family Policies & Rules
Here are the important rules of the homestay program:
No animal waste:
Eating or drinking animal waste (e.g., feces, urine) is not allowed.
Applying animal waste to the student’s body is also not allowed.
No cannabis or marijuana:
Cannabis and marijuana are illegal in Japan.
Therefore, host families who use these substances at home are not eligible.
Sexual harassment policy:
The homestay program follows a strict sexual harassment policy.
One Host Family = One Japanese Student
Each host family will host only one Japanese student to ensure an English-only environment.
If you live with other Japanese-speaking students or have a family member who speaks Japanese at home, you are not qualified for this program. In such cases, your homestay arrangement will be canceled.
What If Your Main Host Child Is Away During the Program?
If your child will be away at summer school or has a summer job, please contact us.
The Japanese student is here to experience Canadian family life and build a relationship with your child. Ideally, your child should be with the student as much as possible.
Summer job:
If your child has a summer job, it should be limited to 10 hours per week.
Family time: If your child is away, another family member should spend time with the Japanese student.
Important Notes
- One Host Family, One Japanese Student: The student is coming to learn English and experience Canadian life with your child.
- We expect that your child will spend a lot of time together with the student.
- Family Activities: If your family goes on a trip, please include the student as part of your family. The homestay fees cover the student’s travel costs.
- Medical Insurance: The Japanese student is covered by medical insurance during their stay.
- Privacy and Personal Information: Your personal information will be used only for homestay arrangements and shared with the LABO Homestay Program office in Japan. Your information will not be shared with third parties.
How to Apply
If you are interested in becoming a host family, please contact us.
We will send you the Host Family Application Form.
To apply, you will need the following documents:
- Host Family Application Form
- Family Photo
- Room Photo (where the student will stay)
- Home Visit Interview by the Homestay Coordinator
- Police Vulnerable Sector Check – This background check ensures the safety of vulnerable people (children, seniors, or people with disabilities). It includes a criminal record check and checks for offenses related to sexual crimes. All adults (18 years or older) living at the same address need to submit this check. This includes domestic students, international students, or tenants.
Homestay program video
former LABO homestay student (2015 program) made speech.
This student joined the 2015 LABO Homestay Program and stayed with a host family in London.
After the homestay program ended, she stayed in contact with her host family.
Now, she is studying in London and staying with the same host family again.
Meeting host family and student for the first time, at Fanshawe College
Mid-term gathering: fun activities for everyone.
Experience Japanese martial arts together. (Free of charge)
※Host family information will not be shared with anyone else.
We will not ask our host families to join the martial arts classes after the homestay program ends.
FROM PAST PROGRAM
▼London Ontario coordinator received these flags with messages from LABO homestay students
▼These photos were taken at the last day of homestay program in each year, at Fanshawe College Conference Centre. Since 2013, the LABO students meet host family very first time, and say good-by to the host family, in this Conference room.
about LABO International Exchange Foundation
LABO is a non-profitable educational organization that provides an integrated program of youth development, language learning, and cultural exploration for Japanese children and their families.
PROGRAM NAME: LABO Intercultural Exchange Homestay Program, from Japan
To lean about LABO, please visit https://labo-exchange.com/homestay-in-the-u-s/
Contact Form
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Please contact me at
lli_japanese@hotmail.com
