International students can bring their spouse or common-law partner and dependent children to join them in Canada
If you wish to study in Canada and want to bring your spouse and/or your children then you can include them on your application for a Canadian study permit. You should keep in mind that doing so may impact on the approval of the study permit. If your application for the study permit is approved with your spouse and dependent children accompanying then the spouse will be eligible to apply for a spousal open work permit. This work permit will authorize the spouse to work full-time for any employer in Canada for the same period as their partner’s study permit.
The dependent child will be issued a visa authorizing their stay in Canada for the same period as the primary applicant’s permit. All minor children are allowed to pursue education at the pre-school, primary, or secondary level of study if one of the parents has an authorization to study or work in Canada. On reaching the age of majority , child must apply for a study permit to contine studies in Canada. This application can be made from inside Canada.
You may come to Canada before your spouse/dependents. If this is the case, you are not submitting a joint application. When your spouse or dependents apply then they must indicate that the you are still the principal applicant, otherwise the application will be processed based on their eligibility.
Spouse of the international student in Canada can apply for open work permit if the international student is having a valid study permit and is studying full-time at:
- A public post-secondary institution; or
- A private post-secondary institution that operates under the same rules and regulations as a public institution and receives half of its overall operations budget from government grants; or
- A private institution authorized by provincial statute to confer degrees.
This open work permit usually for the duration of the Study permit of student.