International Assistant

L’Arche Homefires welcomes many international assistants each year. We have welcomed people from many different countries including France, Germany, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile, Australia, Ireland, England, Sri Lanka, and Ethiopia. We also welcome some assistants who are Canadians!

The application process for International Assistants is a little more complicated. It is as follows:

• Complete the on line application form and send to the community.
• You will be contacted within 24 hours to acknowledge receipt of the application and to let you know if there are openings for assistants in the community.
• In general we welcome new assistants in August and occasionally in February /March. It is important to apply well ahead of time. For example I often receive applications in November for the following August.
• Your reference persons will be contacted. You will be asked to visit a L’Arche community if there is one near where you live. You will be contacted by phone. This is particularly important to assess your language ability in English. You are expected to have some knowledge of the English language.
• If your application is accepted, you will then receive the information you need to take to the Canadian Consulate to initiate the application process for a visa. All International Assistants are required to obtain a visa to come to L’Arche. You will also receive a contract which you are to sign and return to L’Arche Homefires. This contract includes information on salary, vacation, etc.
• You will also receive information from L’Arche Homefires including information on the work of an assistant in L’Arche and an informational C.D. There are generally many e mails exchanged before the assistant arrives in the community.
• Because the visa application process can take many months you are asked to begin the process as soon as possible. You are also asked to inform us once you have successfully obtained the visa. Likewise, if your visa application is denied we need to be informed immediately.
• If you are coming under the sponsorship of a sending agency such as ICYE, VIA, YOU LEAD, GAP, Friends of Steiner, etc you are responsible for keeping them informed as to your progress.
• Finally once you have obtained your visa you can make your travel arrangements to Halifax airport. We will be happy to meet you at the airport and drive you to Wolfville!