Study Without Study Permit

Minor Children and Canadian Study Permit Rules

If you or your spouse or common-law partner is already in Canada, your minor child may study without a study permit at the preschool, primary, or secondary level. Once the child reaches the age of majority in their province, he or she must apply for a study permit to continue his or her studies in Canada. This application can be completed from inside Canada. Please consult us for more details. When applying from outside Canada, you will need to apply for your child’s study permit at a Canadian overseas visa office.

Applying as a family member

If you are planning to bring your family to Canada while you study, and you’ll be arriving at the same time. You may consider filling out one application for the entire family. If you have a variety of different permit applications (your study permit and your spouse or common-law partner’s work permit, for example) you will need extra documentation and will need to include additional fees (such as the additional fee for the work permit).

Thinking of inviting parent while studying in Canada

While on a study permit, international students can invite their parent(s) to visit on a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), which allows the parent (s) to travel to Canada.

Thinking of bringing family members to join you in Canada

The government of Canada want you to be happy while you are studying in Canada. Therefore, you are able to have your spouse/common-law partner join you in Canada, as well as any dependent children. Your spouse/partner can apply for an open work permit, allowing him or her to come to Canada and work for any employer, while your children may also join you in Canada.

Subscribe to our newsletter