It's a one-time fee you pay through Seastay to confirm your booking with a Canadian host. It tells the host you're serious and removes the listing from the search results so nobody else can take it. A portion is kept by Seastay as our service/matching fee. The remainder is credited toward your first month's rent.

Say a host lists rent at $600 / month and the Match Confirmation Fee is $100. You pay $100 to Seastay. $50 is the platform service portion. The other $50 is credited to your first month - so when you arrive in Canada, you pay the host directly $550 for your first month instead of $600. From month two onward you pay the full listed rent direct to the host. The host effectively still receives their full $600 rent value (you paid $550 to them and Seastay accounted for the $50 credit on your behalf).

Refund rules are set per listing. Most listings offer a full refund if your study permit is refused - look for the "Refundable on study permit refusal" line on the listing detail page. The host can also refund the fee voluntarily before move-in. After move-in, the booking is treated as confirmed.

Monthly rent is paid directly to your Canadian host - not through Seastay. Whether they collect a separate move-in payment is between you and them, governed by the tenancy law of the province (see below). Seastay's Match Confirmation Fee is for the booking match only.

Because it isn't one. Security and damage deposits are regulated by provincial tenancy law (Ontario doesn't allow them at all). The Match Confirmation Fee covers tenant placement and reservation - the work Seastay does to match you with a host before you arrive in Canada.

Ontario's Residential Tenancies Act only allows a host to collect last month's rent as a deposit - no security or damage deposit is permitted. A host can also legally ask for first month's rent before move-in. They can run a credit/reference check, but you cannot be required to pay for it.

Since 2018, most private residential rentals in Ontario must use the standard provincial lease (Form 2229E). If a host gives you a different document, ask why - and if they refuse to use the standard lease, you can withhold rent after written notice.

For most units built before November 2018, yearly rent increases are capped by the provincial guideline (around 2.5% in recent years). For newer buildings, guideline caps don't apply but the host must give 90 days written notice.

BC's Residential Tenancy Act allows a host to collect a security deposit of up to half a month's rent, plus an optional pet damage deposit of up to half a month's rent. They cannot demand the last month's rent in advance. Both deposits go into a trust-style arrangement and must be returned (with interest) at the end of the tenancy minus any disputed damages.

BC uses the Residential Tenancy Agreement (RTB-1). Your tenancy is governed by the Act whether or not you sign one - but signing is strongly recommended. The Residential Tenancy Branch handles disputes.

BC sets a yearly rent-increase guideline (around 3% in recent years). The host must give 3 full months written notice on the official form. Rent can only be raised once per 12 months.

Yes. You can secure a Canadian address before your permit is approved, which actually helps your visa application. Look for listings that offer "Refundable on study permit refusal" - if your permit gets refused, the Match Confirmation Fee is returned.

Most hosts want to see (1) your study permit acceptance letter or DLI letter, (2) a copy of your passport ID page, and (3) proof of funds (a GIC certificate, scholarship letter, or family sponsor letter). Hosts cannot ask for Canadian credit history if you're brand new - many will accept a co-signer or guarantor instead.

Major Canadian banks (RBC, TD, Scotiabank, CIBC, BMO) have international student programs you can apply for before arrival. Bring your passport, study permit / acceptance letter, and a Canadian address (your Seastay booking works). Many SEA students use the Scotiabank StartRight or RBC newcomer plan.

Yes - international wire transfer or services like Wise work. Many hosts also accept Interac e-Transfer once you have a Canadian bank account. Avoid sending rent via Western Union, gift cards, or crypto - those are common scam channels.

Use the on-site chat to ask: (1) how many other tenants live there and what their schedules are, (2) whether the kitchen is shared or separate, (3) cooking expectations (Indonesian / Malay / Filipino cooking can produce strong aromas - mention this if your host is sensitive), (4) guest policy, (5) quiet hours, and (6) cleaning schedule. The roommate-preference selector on your profile helps us pre-match households that suit you.

Many Canadian hosts on Seastay - especially immigrant Canadian families - can keep the kitchen halal or vegetarian on request. Ask in your inquiry message before paying the Match Confirmation Fee.

Set "Same-gender housemates" or "Female-only" / "Male-only" in your profile. Hosts who match those criteria appear first, and the host can see your preference before accepting.

Furnished usually means: bed (with frame and mattress), desk, chair, dresser/wardrobe, basic kitchenware, sometimes a small TV. It rarely includes linens (sheets, towels) - bring your own or buy from IKEA on day one. Always ask the host for a "what's included" list before paying.

The TTC runs subway, streetcar, and bus. A monthly pass is around $156. Most U of T, TMU, OCAD, and George Brown campuses are reachable by subway in under 20 min from downtown. UTSC and UTM need a bus + subway combination. GO Transit covers Mississauga, Hamilton, Waterloo.

TransLink runs SkyTrain, bus, and SeaBus. UBC is bus-only (no SkyTrain to campus yet - the Broadway extension is under construction). SFU's main Burnaby campus is reached by the 145 bus from Production Way station. A monthly pass for one zone is around $107.

Never send money to anyone who isn't a verified host on Seastay. Red flags: (1) host refuses video call before you pay, (2) "I'm out of the country, my agent will hand you the keys", (3) requests for payment by gift card, wire transfer, Western Union, or crypto, (4) pressure to pay "today or you lose the room", (5) listing photos that appear on other sites (do a reverse image search). Report anything suspicious via Contact us → Report a listing.

Document the issue with photos. Open a support ticket through Contact us. If the discrepancy is material (e.g. the room is shared but listed as private), our trust team can mediate a refund of the Match Confirmation Fee and help you find an alternative listing.

Verified hosts have submitted government ID, proof of address for the property (utility bill, land registry, or condo board letter), and at least one prior booking with a positive review. Look for the green "Verified host" badge on a listing card. Premium hosts are reviewed manually by our team.

Yes. Seastay was built specifically to connect international students with Canadian hosts. We list homes near major Canadian universities including the University of Toronto, UBC, McGill, Concordia, SFU, the University of Waterloo, uOttawa, the University of Calgary, McMaster, and Dalhousie. Filter by city to find homes near your campus.

No - you can secure a room on Seastay before your study permit is approved. The booking gives you a Canadian address you can use on your visa application. If your study permit is denied, the Home Stay can refund the Match Confirmation Fee and the listing reopens.

On any listing, tap "Message host on Seastay" to start a private chat thread directly on the listing page - no commitment required. Both you and the host can see the conversation in your dashboards. Hosts who connect WhatsApp also show a green "Chat on WhatsApp" button.

Use the Contact us form, choose category "Report a listing", and paste the listing URL. Our trust team reviews reports within 24 hours and takes the listing down if needed.

Seastay currently accepts listings located anywhere in Canada. The Home Stay can be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or work-permit holder - we welcome immigrant hosts and many of our top hosts came to Canada as international students themselves.

A Basic listing is $9.99 once-off. A Featured listing is $29.99 once-off and gives you 30 days at the top of search results, a coloured badge, and homepage placement. Listing fees are non-refundable but you only pay once per unit, not per booking.

Premium ($19.99/month) gives all your listings priority placement, a verified badge, an analytics dashboard (views, requests, conversion, earnings), and white-glove customer support. Premium hosts also get optional tenant matching - we help shortlist students from your inbox.

When the tenant moves in and you click "Release deposit" on the dashboard, the deposit (minus the 10% platform fee) is credited to your Home Stay account. From there it transfers to your linked Canadian bank within 1-3 business days via EFT or Interac.

Every tenant must verify their email and submit a short intro message before they can request a booking. Premium hosts can require additional verification (passport, university acceptance letter, study permit, financial proof) before accepting. Reviews from past hosts are visible to admins only and used for trust-and-safety actions.

No. Reviews on Seastay are private - only the admin team sees them. We use them for trust-and-safety actions and to flag hosts or tenants who consistently get poor feedback. We don't show star ratings on listings because they incentivise gaming and can disadvantage new hosts in countries far from Canada.

After the deposit has been released (i.e. after move-in), both the tenant and the host can leave a star rating and optional comment for each other. Both reviews are kept private and used by our trust team.

Go to your dashboard and click "Upgrade to Premium". One $19.99 charge gives you 30 days of premium benefits, after which you can renew. You can cancel auto-renewal any time.

No - we don't promise bookings. We promise visibility, prioritisation, and tooling that makes you more likely to convert the right tenant. The "Tenant matching" feature lets our team review applicants on your behalf.

The Seastay interface is available in English, Bahasa Indonesia, Bahasa Melayu, Tiếng Việt, and Simplified Chinese. Use the language switcher in the top nav.

Yes - tap the currency selector in the nav (CAD/USD/SGD/MYR/IDR/VND/PHP/THB). Prices on every page convert instantly. The Home Stay still receives the originally-listed Canadian dollar amount - the conversion is for your reference while you compare.

If the host has added their WhatsApp number, you'll see a green "Chat on WhatsApp" button on the listing detail page. We also offer on-site chat - tap "Message host on Seastay" to start a private thread without leaving the site.

Yes - we accept Visa, Mastercard, and UnionPay cards issued anywhere in Southeast Asia. Conversion to CAD happens at the day's mid-market rate plus a 1% FX fee disclosed at checkout.