How do I bring my family with me while I study?
There are a lot of great benefits to being an international student in Canada, including the ability to bring family with you while you study. Spouses, common-law partners and dependent children may also be eligible for a Canadian work permit or study permit.
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Can I bring my spouse or common-law partner to Canada while I study?
While here, your spouse or common-law partner would be eligible for an open work permit. While you’re studying, he or she can work full- or part-time for any employer in Canada without needing a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
If you are granted a post-graduate work permit once you complete your studies, your spouse or partner is eligible to renew their open work permit for the duration of your post-graduate work permit.
Can I bring my kids while studying in Canada?
International students are also eligible to bring their dependent children with them while they study. A dependent child is any child under the age of 19, or over the age of 19 who has depended substantially on their parents for financial support since before the age of 19 and is unable to be financially self-supporting because of a mental or physical condition.
If your dependent child is school-aged, they are eligible to attend one of Canada’s free public elementary or secondary schools while you study without needing their own student permit.
Can I stay in Canada after studying as an international student?
Being an international student in Canada may increase your eligibility for permanent residency, or open the door to immigration programs that you weren’t previously eligible for.
Your experience studying, working, and practicing your English or French language proficiency can all contribute to your eligibility. Your partner’s experience working and improving their language proficiency can also contribute to your eligibility.
If you choose to immigrate to Canada permanently following the completion of your studies, you will likely do so through the federal Express Entry system. This system consolidates the three major categories of federal economic immigration and groups all eligible candidates into a pool together. Every candidate in the pool receives a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, and the highest ranking candidates are periodically issued invitations to apply (ITA) for permanent residence.
Your CRS score is calculated differently depending on whether or not you are applying with an accompanying partner. If your partner has been living and working in Canada while you study, it’s possible that including them on your submission to Express Entry will increase your CRS score.
You can also double your chances of receiving an ITA if both you and your spouse submit profiles to the Express Entry pool. Your partner’s experience may make them eligible to submit an expression of interest to Express Entry as a principal applicant.
