“Canada is a totally new market for SELC and although some of our current agents are operating there – for the most part we need to establish our brand with many existing schools so we need to make many new agent relationships internationally,” marketing director, Kevin Warham, told The PIE News.

“We need to establish our brand with many existing schools so we need to make many new agent relationships internationally

Currently the school is at half capacity with 60 students from Latin America, Europe and Asia. General english, IELTS preparation and accent reduction classes are among the ELS courses provided. Vocational diplomas in hospitality management and a certificate for English for Business with a “Co-Op” work experience element are also available through the SELC Canada Career College.

While there are concerns about Citizenship and Immigration Canada removing the Co-Op study-work visa route, SELC says it continues to offer language students paid or unpaid placements at local businesses, retail outlets and hotels in order to give them “the opportunity to study and then practise their language and work skills”.

Thirty years after launching its first campus in Bondi Beach, SELC opened its Sydney City school last May receiving full CRICOS accreditation in November of the same year. Four months later the school launched in Vancouver with accreditation from Languages Canada and approval from the Private Career Training Institutions Agency (PCTIA).

Warham says there are plans to increase course offerings to keep up with growth in both Australia and Canada. “Over the next six months we plan to introduce Summer High School programmes, Cambridge and IELTS Preparation full time and Business English at the Vancouver campus, while in 2014 SELC City School will offer Cambridge Preparation and Business English morning and evening programmes.”