As international students start to return to Western Australia, we’re kick-starting our Containers for Change initiative to help the environment and a local charity.

We’re hoping to have many more students join us on campus in the coming weeks and months.

This will mean a great deal more recycling and more money to donate to a worthy cause.

Around 88% of the students enrolled in our pathway-to-university programs are currently studying online from their homes overseas.

But many students are now preparing to join us on campus after recent news that the Western Australian border will open on March 3.

Canning College’s Containers for Change initiative will be an ongoing project, which means students currently on campus, and those who will be joining us in the future, can contribute to the cause.

We’re really looking forward to seeing more students here in Perth and helping us with this project.

Simple actions, powerful results

Students and staff are encouraged to put refundable cans, bottles and other containers in the marked bins in the cafeteria, student lounge, student services and staff room.

These bins are for containers marked with a “10c refund at collection depots” label, or similar.

If you already take your 10c recyclables to a local depot, you can choose to donate some of your refund to Canning College.

Simply scan the code at your collection point and select Canning College.

We will make sure your donation is passed on to our chosen charity.

Keep reading to find out which charity will be receiving the funds from our recycling efforts.

But if it’s easier, or if you are not currently using a recycling depot, bring your containers into Canning College and drop them into one of the bins.

Choosing a charity

We expect that by the middle of the year, our campus population will be much busier, and we’ll then be in a position to take the next step.

This will involve asking our students to research some suitable local charities that are listed on the Containers for Change website.

Student input will be considered before an organisation or cause is selected to receive the proceeds of our Containers for Change initiative.

Western Australia’s border will be open to international visitors from March 3, which will allow Canning College students to join us on campus.

This means that international students entering Western Australia after 12.01am on March 3 will not be required to spend any time in quarantine. As indicated in correspondence sent earlier this week, students entering before the border opening date must isolate in approved accommodation for seven days. For information regarding entry into Western Australia before March 3 please visit our website here.

After March 3, international travellers into WA will be permitted with the following requirements:

• meet Commonwealth Government requirements to enter Australia;
• be fully vaccinated under the Commonwealth requirements, if eligible;
• have a registered G2G Pass;
• undertake a rapid antigen test on arrival (within 12 hours and report any positive result).

Students who are planning to travel to join us here in Perth are asked to provide us with flight and accommodation details before travelling to WA. This will allow us to arrange free transfers between the airport and accommodation.

From March 3, the WA State Government will provide a Rapid Antigen Test to each international arrival to meet the new interim controls. Interim testing arrangements will be in place for a minimum of two weeks and then be subject to an ongoing review.

During this transition period and until further notice, Canning College will continue to offer online programs. We are committed to supporting students in the pursuit of academic goals both on campus and online.

Further information regarding WA’s response to COVID-19 is available on the WA Government website here.

*PLEASE NOTE: Since this article was published, the State Government has announced that the Western Australian border will be open after March 3 without a requirement for travellers to quarantine. The information below is relevant for travellers into Western Australia before March 3. Click here for the latest information on the full border opening.

HOW TO ENTER WA BEFORE MARCH 3

International students can start to return to Western Australian following an announcement by the State Government regarding new entry rules.

As a college dedicated exclusively to international education, we are delighted to welcome new students back to Perth and on to campus after almost two years of restrictions.

There are a number of measures students must take to be able to join us in Perth, including a requirement to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to quarantine for seven days on arrival. Further requirements are outlined below.

Under the new rules, international students can enter Western Australia either directly under the arrivals cap, or by transitioning through another state. It is important to note that the number of international visitors allowed directly into Western Australia is currently restricted to 530 people per week. The number of visitors allowed to enter Western Australia from other states is not restricted. More information regarding State and Territory entry requirements is available here.

Students who intend to travel into Perth, either directly or via another Australian state, are required to:

• Have an approved G2G pass with “Enrolled Student in WA” as the exemption category.
• Be fully vaccinated with an approved vaccine.
• Provide proof of a negative Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) within 24 hours before departure.
• Undertake 7 days of self-quarantine in approved accommodation in Western Australia, with the same requirements for household members at any self-quarantine premises.
• Undertake RAT or PCR testing within 24 hours of arrival, and either a PCR test on day 6 or a RAT on day 7 of self-quarantine. If the student has no symptoms and tests negative, quarantine is complete after 7 days. If a student has symptoms, the student must continue to isolate until symptoms are gone. Household members, who quarantine with the student, will also be required to do a PCR test on the student’s day 6.
• Be subject to mandatory use of the G2G Now app and in-person checks by Western Australian Police as required.

To assist with quarantine-related expenses, students are advised to register on the WA Government website here for a one-off payment of $2000. They should also register with StudyPerth here to receive a welcome pack.

Additional to the entry requirements, Canning College also recommends:

• Parents/students assess the suitability of the student to complete the mandatory 7-day quarantine period before pursuing entry into Western Australia.
• Students under 18 years of age travel with a parent or guardian. Parents/guardians should select “Immediate Family Member of Approved Traveller” on their GTG Pass application.
• Students understand the requirement to quarantine in approved accommodation and prepare accordingly. Students should check the accommodation they have booked for use during the normal course of their studies is approved for quarantine purposes. If not, students must arrange for approved accommodation during their quarantine stay. A list of approved accommodation is available on the StudyPerth website here.
• Students understand airline refund policies in case flight schedules change.
• Students be prepared to start their online studies during quarantine. Starting or continuing study online while in quarantine is a great way for students to interact with teachers and other students during isolation.

Canning College understands that quarantine may be challenging for some students, who may not be ready to travel, and we will continue to offer online learning until further notice.

Students who intend to travel to Perth are asked to provide flight and accommodation details before travelling to WA.

We remain committed to delivering high-quality education programs and providing high levels of support that help students achieve their academic goals.

Should you have any questions regarding information in this email that is not answered in any of the links, please visit the StudyPerth frequently asked questions page here or contact us at canning.col.info@education.wa.edu.au. Further information on international education is available on the WA Government website here.

Current and new students, staff members and visitors to Canning College are reminded of social measures in place to protect the health and safety of Western Australians against COVID-19.

Border restrictions will be relaxed after February 5, which will allow international visitors to enter Western Australia without the requirement to quarantine, provided they meet entry requirements. These include having proof of vaccination and a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within three days of departure.

In order to protect the health and safety of the WA population, the State Government will continue to make health assessments and introduce new measures when necessary.

The wearing of masks is currently mandatory in some public venues, including on public transport, in hospitals and at Canning College.

It is also a requirement to show proof of vaccination to enter some public venues.

Students and staff are asked to regularly check the WA State Government information page for the latest measures.

We can’t wait to welcome new and returning students on to campus in 2022.

In 2021, despite the extraordinary challenges of the pandemic, international students around the world pushed on towards their academic goals.

At Canning College, we saw first-hand how students, both on campus and online, adapted to their circumstances with great success. The year has been more difficult for some students but almost without exception they have shown resilience, flexibility and a determination to reach the finish line.

Success

A success rate of 96% across all programs included more than 30 students progressing to The University of Western Australia and Curtin University from our Diploma of Commerce. In the WA Universities’ Foundation Program, 84% of students achieved a score equivalent to a 70 Australian Tertiary Admission Rank, generally considered minimum university entrance standard. We were delighted also that 21% of the Foundation Program group ranked in the top 5% of all students in Australia.

It’s personal

While the numbers are important, success can be measured across a number of things, including the personal development of the young people we educate. This year, as in all others since we started teaching international students in 1982, we helped students grow in confidence through the support of our teachers and other staff. This will serve students well as they transition into tertiary studies.

We were also impressed by the contribution of our student leaders. The Student Representative on the Board, Khaasyiyah, who is from Singapore, and our Student Ambassadors, Risto (Hong Kong) and Linda (Vietnam), stepped out of their comfort zones and represented the College commendably. We hope that our leaders in 2022 will be just as inquisitive, interested and polite.

A different year

Things will be different in 2022 and news that the Western Australian border will open to visitors from February 5 was very well received by the international education industry. But we need only to reflect on events elsewhere in the world to expect new challenges to emerge in the new year.

We cannot predict exactly how the new year will unfold but we can promise to deliver the same level of care and support that has been key to Canning College’s success for almost 40 years.

We wish past, present and prospective students, their parents, our partner agents and our good friends at Western Australia’s excellent universities the very best over the Festive Season and into 2022.