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Canada’s schools system is often spoken about worldwide, and is widely respected for being a world-renowned education system. This is why many students come to Canada from all over the world to pursue their post-secondary education. Though, post-secondary students are not the only ones who can benefit from Canada’s education system. In fact, the Canadian government has lower eligibility requirements for minors to be able to come and study in Canada. Throughout this article, I will explain what it takes, to allow your child to be eligible to study in Canada.
First and foremost, it is important to be aware that these alternative requirements to study in Canada are only applicable to individuals who would legally be minors in Canada. This is different than being a “dependent” in the eyes of the Canadian government, and for the purposes if immigration. A minor is an individual who is under the “age of majority.” This fluctuates depending on which province you are in.
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Age of Majority is 18 |
Age of Majority is 19 |
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Alberta |
British Colombia |
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Manitoba |
New Brunswick |
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Ontario |
Newfoundland and Labrador |
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Prince Edward Island |
Northwest Territories |
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Quebec |
Nova Scotia |
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Saskatchewan |
Nunavut |
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Yukon |
Most minor children need to apply for a study permit to study in Canada, though; there are a variety of exceptions. Following are the exceptions.
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The child is a foreign national accompanied by a parent in the visitor class studying in a grade higher than kindergarten. |
YES |
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The child is alone or with a parent who is a temporary resident and has a study or work permit |
NO |
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The child is a refugee claimant, accompanied or not by a parent |
NO |
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The child is in Canada without status |
NO |
To apply for any study permit, you need a letter of acceptance from the designated learning institution you intend to attend once you enter Canada. You are exempt from this requirement if the minor is in Canada with a family member who has a study or work permit, and who obtained this before entering Canada.
There are some special requirements when applying for a study permit for a minor child. Because the individual applying for the study permit is under the age of majority, and will be alone in a foreign country, the minor child must be under the care of a responsible adult. Generally, to be eligible to enter Canada, individuals have to prove they can take care of themselves for the duration of time; they are in Canada, financially and otherwise. If you are a child who is financially dependent on your parents, then you clearly cannot prove that you can take care of yourself, without any additional assistance. The individual who agrees to take care of you does not need to be a parent. If you are unable to live with a parent or guardian then a custodian is required, and one can be appointed. To appoint a custodian you need to send the Custodianship declaration form with your application. Please note this requirement does not necessarily stand for individuals 17 and older. Once the applicant is 17, the custodial requirement is at this discretion of the immigration officer who reviews the application.
Being the custodian of a minor child is a big responsibility. You have legally agreed to take care of this child in the same manner a parent or guardian would, for the duration of their stay in Canada. This means providing both financial and emotional care. Also, this means in the case of an emergency they must fulfill the obligations of a parent or guardian, and provide the care necessary for a child. Though you have legally agreed to take care of the child, and must provide the same standard of care a parent would, you are not legally liable for the child in the same ways a parent is. For example, this means, if the child were to get in trouble with the law, you are not legally responsible for their wrong doing, whereas a parent would be.
If you would like to come to Canada as a minor to study, but are unsure if you need a study permit, it is important to take all of the aforementioned information into consideration before applying. Study permit applications are difficult to pursue on your own, especially if you are unfamiliar; it is highly recommended that you seek out professional and experienced help before attempting to apply. Furthermore, it is very important you determine, before trying to enter Canada, whether the child accompanying you will need a study permit in order to attend a Canadian school. Here, at Akrami & Associates, we work and have experience with many different immigration issues. We have helped many of our clients enter Canada to pursue studies with and without obtaining a study permit. If you believe that you may be eligible to apply for a study permit or if you would like assist with determining whether you need a study permit or not, please feel free to contact Akrami & Associates at our office at 416-477-2545 for more information or if you would like to book a consultation with an immigration professional for more advice.
With Akrami & Associates, there is always a way!
