Understanding a Minor’s Study Permit

How Can I apply for a Minor’s Study Permit?

The Canadian educational system is highly respected worldwide, so you are certainly giving your child a head start by sending them to school in Canada. That being said, many parents have chosen to let their children to study in Canada. Do you want to obtain your children’s education in Canada? If so, it is important for you to understand the requirements for obtaining a minor’s study permit. If you are unfamiliar with the process of applying for a study permit, continue to read this blog to learn important information you should know to help you get started.

What is a Minor’s Study Permit?

A minor’s study permit is a document which is issued to any child who wishes to study in Canada. Just like any study permit, a minor study permit allows a child to study in Canada at a designated institute in a designated program for a specific period of time.

Who should apply For a Minor’s Study Permit?

There are a variety of exemptions in specific situations which prevent an individual from requiring a minor’s study permit. Following are the exemptions, if one of these applies to you, you do not need a study permit to allow your child to study in Canada.

• The minor child is attending Kindergarten
• The minor child is accompanied by parents that are refugees or refugee claimants, or, the child is a refugee claimant themselves.
• One of the child’s parents is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada
• One of the minor child’s parents is already permitted to work or study in Canada.

Requirements to Apply for Minor’s Study Permit

There are a variety of things which are required of an application to have a good chance of having the application approved by the Canadian Consulate. First and foremost, the child must be pursuing an education in Canada at a designated learning institution. This must also be demonstrated in the application with a letter of acceptance from the institution. Children must typically be 18 years old or younger, depending on the specific requirements of the province you wish to study in. Most minor children must also demonstrate they will be in the country beforehand with an approved parent, legal guardian or custodian within Canada. A custodian in Canada is deemed as a responsible adult (this can be a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident), approved by the government, who can take care of and support the minor, if no parent will be accompanying.

Application Process

Throughout the application, you will be expected to demonstrate why you want your child to pursue a Canadian education, and how this will benefit their future. They will also be expected to provide some sort of explanation of why they want to study in Canada. You should be able to prove to an immigration officer you will conform to all the requirements of individuals who visit Canada, and abide by the conditions of your study permit. Most of all, you must convince an immigration officer you will leave promptly when your study permit should expire. To do this, you must demonstrate ample ties to your home country and show you have no intention of remaining in Canada; your children are simply in Canada to study. Finally, you must prove you are financially stable enough to support your children’s stay in Canada.

How long can I stay in Canada with my minor’s study permit

Study permits intended for minor children acquire a length of validity for varying time periods, depending on your circumstances. For example, if your child is attending primary school (from grades 1 through 8), are only issued for one year, but these can be renewed. Or, if you are applying to attend secondary school (grades 9 through 12), they are valid for a maximum of 4 years. Then, applicants to post-secondary schools can have permits approved for the length of time the program is, plus 90 days (only having a maximum of 4 years).

Contact Akrami and Associates

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. Preparing for the application can be confusing and overwhelming, and therefore, it is highly recommended that you seek out professional and experienced help before attempting to apply. Akrami & Associates 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. Please feel free to contact Akrami & Associates 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!