Travel Advisory and Out-of-Canada Co-op Work Term Credit Policy
Policy on students completing work terms in foreign countries that are under a Travel Advisory from Department of Foreign Affairs.
From time to time as circumstances require, uWaterloo may exercise its statutory authority to make decisions it believes are in the best interests of its students. For co-op students undertaking a work term outside of Canada this can mean that, based on travel advisories issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs Canada (DFAIT), Waterloo may advise co-op students to avoid, defer, or cancel work term arrangements. Under some circumstances, failure to adhere to this advice may result in disallowance of official work tem credit for work performed in a location named in a DFAIT travel advisory.
The University recognizes the academic consequences such decisions may have for students and will make all reasonable efforts to assist students who may be adversely affected by them.
Country Travel Reports
Warning regarding safety of Canadians in foreign countries; country-specific; there is a range of advisories depending on the nature of the concern and the level of security threat to individuals. Information pertaining to foreign countries and Canadians travelling to those countries; updated daily as necessary can be found here
Web: http://www.voyage.gc.ca/countries_pays/updates_mise-a-jour-eng.asp
Consulate Registry:
All uWaterloo students who are carrying a Canadian Passport are required to register with the Canadian Consulate Office. "This service is provided so that we can contact and assist you in an emergency in a foreign country, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, or inform you of a family emergency at home."
Web: https://www.voyage2.gc.ca/Registration_inscription/Register_Inscrire/Login_ouvrir-une-session-eng.aspx?fwd=true&hash=p0V4sJhYtXNnDsAOImpW8w6161
Highest Risk Levels
- "Foreign Affairs Canada advises against all travel to these countries. Canadians in these countries should leave."
- "Foreign Affairs Canada advises against all travel to these countries. Canadians in the specific region(s) should leave."
- "Foreign Affairs Canada advises against all travel to these countries."
- "Foreign Affairs Canada advises against all travel to the specified region(s) of these countries. Canadians in the specified region(s) of these countries should leave."
Co-op Education will not officially recognize and endorse foreign work terms in countries where Foreign Affairs Canada has imposed the highest risk level advisory as noted above (A to D). Any advisories that are less than this will also be considered however they would not automatically stop Co-op Education consideration of the employment opportunity. Co-op Education will, in all cases, advise students as to the current advisories and recommend that students reconsider travel to countries with any level of security advisory.
Co-op Education will assess students under 2 categories: Canadian citizens (and permanent residents or other foreign nationals going to a third country) and those that have foreign nationality and are returning to the country where they are citizens.
Student Group A
- Canadian citizens
- Permanent Residents of Canada who are considering travel to a country where they are not citizens
- Visa students who are considering travel to a country where they are not citizens
These students will be asked to adhere to Foreign Affairs Canada restrictions and therefore Co-op Education will not officially recognize and endorse work terms for this group of students in countries that Foreign Affairs Canada has deemed to be off limits to Canadians.
Student Group B
- Students (visa students and permanent residents of Canada) who have foreign citizenship and are returning to their country of nationality.
- These students must still have close family ties to this foreign country including immediate family such as parents and siblings.
- They will have spent a considerable amount of time living in the country in question and therefore would be viewed as a native of that country and therefore at a potentially lower risk than a foreign visitor in times of crisis.
Changes to Travel Advisories
As the global situation changes, Foreign Affairs Canada continuously reassesses the level of danger to Canadians and will remove or change advisories for certain countries. As these changes are made, Co-op Education will review the situation on a country-specific basis.
In a situation where an advisory is put in place or heightened while a student is in that country, Co-op Education will assess the severity of the specific situation and will advise the student accordingly as to a recommended course of action. If Foreign Affairs Canada recommendation is that Canadians should leave immediately, this decision will be respected by uWaterloo and students will be required to comply. The implications of such actions on the student’s work term completion will be assessed on an individual basis to determine an appropriate resolution.
When the advisory for a country is either removed entirely or lowered to a level that is not considered to be “Highest Risk” as noted above, Co-op Education will reconsider granting credit for work terms for all students in the affected country according to the following guidelines:
When an advisory is lifted or lowered to a “safe” level (E-I), Co-op Education will only consider granting credit for work terms in that country effective the start of the following term. The remainder of the current term will not be acknowledged. This is an acknowledgement that situations can change rapidly and Co-op Education wants to see a period of stability established before encouraging student travel to places that have recently been unsound and unsafe. (e.g. If an advisory for country X is lifted on June 1, the remainder of that Summer term will not be acknowledged. A Fall work term in country X will be considered for credit as long as no further advisory is put in place).