"Orientations for new international students were thought to be a solved problem: delivered on campus just before classes start. These sessions were not addressing a gap in information that international students experienced in between recruitment and arrival in Canada.

The pandemic border closures forced most services to go online including orientation sessions. From two different college perspectives, we will discuss how this led to a new, evolved, orientation system that starts earlier, is accessible from anywhere, helps address student needs, and creates new opportunities to build a stronger sense of community long before they arrive in Canada."