Bringing Parents To Canada As An International Student

Canada has a generous immigration policy that allows international students to bring their immediate family members with them. This includes a spouse, common-law partner, and dependent children. Parents of international students can visit their child in Canada with a visitor visa, allowing them to stay for up to six months, with the possibility of extension. However, other family members like siblings, aunts, and uncles do not automatically qualify to accompany the student to Canada.

International students with valid study permits can bring their dependent children

If the study permit is approved with the accompanying child, the child will be issued a visa authorizing their stay in Canada for the same duration as the parent's permit. It is important to note that if your child is of school-going age, you are legally required to enrol them in school while they are in Canada. School is mandatory starting with grade one (at the age of five or six), but in British Columbia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, your child must be enrolled in Kindergarten at the age of five.

If you are already in Canada as a student and your spouse now wishes to join you, they may apply for a work permit before travelling to Canada. If your spouse or partner intends to accompany you to Canada when you enter, you must submit your applications together and pay the processing fees for both. In your study permit application, you must also mention that your spouse will come to Canada with you. Your spouse or partner can qualify for an open work permit, allowing them to work for any eligible Canadian employer for the duration of your study permit.

If you are bringing your family members to Canada, they will need to show proof of your student status (e.g., an admission letter, current enrolment letter, or transcript) and an invitation letter written by you, outlining your family's reasons for visiting Canada. It is important to remember that the final decision regarding the approval of a visitor visa rests with the discretion of the immigration officer.

Spouses or partners of international students can be eligible for a work permit

International students in Canada with valid study permits can bring their dependent children with them for the duration of their stay. However, this does not apply to their parents, siblings, aunts, or uncles. That said, spouses or partners of international students can be eligible for a work permit.

Spouses or partners of international students can be eligible for an open work permit, which allows them to work for any eligible Canadian employer for the duration of their partner's study permit. This open work permit may exclude certain occupations, such as jobs in schools or hospitals, unless a medical examination is provided. To be eligible for an open work permit, the spouse or partner must meet the eligibility criteria, which will come into effect on January 21, 2025. One criterion is that the international student must be enrolled in a master's degree program of 16 months or longer. If the spouse or partner does not meet the eligibility criteria for an open work permit, they may be able to get another type of work permit.

There are two ways for the spouse or partner of an international student to apply for a work permit: before or after entering Canada. If applying before entering Canada, the spouse or partner must apply for a work permit from outside the country either together with the international student's study permit application or after the study permit is approved. If applying after entering Canada, the spouse or partner must first enter the country as a visitor and then apply for a work permit from inside Canada. It is important to note that visitors generally cannot extend temporary resident visas (TRVs) from inside Canada. Additionally, the family of the international student will need to show proof of adequate funds to support their stay in Canada.

If the spouse or partner of an international student already has an open work permit and wants to extend it, they must meet the eligibility criteria that were in place before March 19, 2024. To extend an open work permit, the international student must have a valid study permit, be physically present in Canada, be enrolled as a full-time student in a PGWP-eligible program at a designated learning institution, and not be in the last term of their study program. The open work permit cannot be extended beyond the expiration date of the international student's study permit.

Parents can visit Canada on a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)

As an international student in Canada, you can invite your parents to visit on a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). This allows your parents to travel to Canada and stay for up to six months. It is important to note that this arrangement does not grant your parents a temporary resident visa, as is the case with spouses and dependent children. The final decision regarding the approval of a visitor visa rests with the immigration officer.

To apply for a TRV or eTA, your parents will need to provide proof of your student status, such as an admission letter, current enrolment letter, or transcript, as well as an invitation letter written by you, outlining your family's reasons for visiting Canada. They may also need to take a medical exam and give biometrics, which can add significant processing time to their application. Additionally, they will need to show proof of adequate funds to support their stay in Canada.

If your parents are citizens of certain countries, they may not need a TRV and can enter Canada with an eTA. However, as of November 10, 2016, most visa-exempt persons require an eTA. The main exception is US citizens, who do not require either a TRV or an eTA. It is always a good idea to check the current entry requirements for the country your parents are travelling from.

It is important to note that if you plan to include your spouse or dependent children on your study permit application, this may influence the visa officer's decision. Including family members on your application may raise suspicions about your intention to leave Canada after your study program, which could affect the approval of your study permit.

International students must prove they will leave Canada when their permit expires

International students in Canada can bring their spouse, partner, or dependent children with them for the duration of their stay in Canada. However, this does not include other family members, such as parents, siblings, aunts, and uncles. While international students can invite their parents to visit, they cannot bring them to Canada as dependents.

International students with valid study permits can bring their immediate family members, including their spouse, common-law partner, and dependent children. The definition of a dependent child in Canada is any child under the age of 22 who is financially dependent on their parents. If the child is above 22, they must be dependent due to a mental or physical condition that prevents them from being financially self-sufficient.

Spouses and partners of international students may be eligible for a work permit if the student is enrolled full-time at an eligible institution. They can apply for this work permit from outside Canada, either with the student's study permit application or after it has been approved. Alternatively, if the spouse or partner first enters Canada as a visitor, they can then apply for a work permit from inside the country.

It is important to note that international students must prove that they will leave Canada when their permit expires. Including family members on a study permit application may influence the visa officer's decision. If a student requests to bring their entire family, the visa officer might suspect that the student does not intend to leave Canada after their study program, which can affect the approval of their study permit. Therefore, international students should be prepared to demonstrate their intention to return home after their studies and provide proof of their residential and financial ties to their home country.

Other family members do not automatically qualify to come to Canada

International students in Canada are allowed to bring their immediate family members with them for the duration of their study permit. This includes their spouse, common-law partner, and dependent children. However, it is important to note that other family members, such as parents, siblings, aunts, and uncles, do not automatically qualify to come to Canada with the international student.

For family members other than spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children, international students can extend invitations for their parents or other family members to visit Canada on a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). This enables parents or other family members to visit Canada and stay for up to six months. It is important to note that this arrangement does not grant them a temporary resident visa, and the final decision regarding the approval of a visitor visa rests with the discretion of the immigration officer.

The process for inviting parents or other family members to Canada involves the international student holding a valid study permit and extending an invitation for their parents or family members to apply for a TRV or eTA. Family members will need to provide proof of the student's status, such as an admission letter or enrolment letter, and an invitation letter outlining their reasons for visiting Canada. It is important to note that just because family members are eligible to apply for a status does not guarantee approval.

In addition, there are requirements and restrictions for other family members to consider. For example, they may need to take a medical exam or provide biometrics, which can add significant processing time to their application. Additionally, citizens of certain countries may be exempt from the TRV requirement but may still need an eTA, depending on their nationality. As of November 10, 2016, most visa-exempt persons require an eTA, with the main exception being US citizens, who do not require either a TRV or an eTA.

Frequently asked questions