INTERNATIONAL CURRENT STUDENTS

STUDENTS WITH FAMILIES

If you are an international student planning to bring your family to Canada while pursuing your studies, you need to understand the visa requirements and education options available for your spouse, common-law partner and children.

Applying for permits or visas for family members

If your family member needs a TRV or eTA, study permit or work permit, you have three options to apply:

Submit an application for your accompanying immediate family from outside Canada at the same time as your study permit application.
Submit an application for your accompanying immediate family from inside Canada at the same time as your study permit application.
Apply for a study permit and provide the full information of your immediate family members who plan to join you at a later date.

Supporting documents

You must supply the following documents in support of your family member’s application:

Proof of relationship to you, the international student
Copy of your valid study permit
Your verification of enrollment and transcript
A letter of invitation. More details about the letter of invitation are available online at the IRCC website or contact MacEwan International for more information
Country specific requirements

Apply for an entry document

Study permits for minor children

If your children who are under the age of majority (18 in Alberta) intend to study in Canada, they must apply for a study permit before entering the country. Minor children on a study permit are not permitted to work in Canada.

If you arrived in Canada with your children without a study permit, they may be allowed to enter as temporary residents within the visitor class if they meet all the requirements, such as having a parent who is authorized to work or study in Canada and not being otherwise inadmissible. If one of their parents holds a study or work permit, they can study at the pre-school, primary or secondary level without a study permit.

For more information on immigration requirements for minors, please refer to the IRCC website.

IRCC // STUDY PERMITS: GUIDELINES ON MINOR CHILDREN

Fees for children in grades K-12

Children under 18 years old who are accompanying their parents to Alberta may be able to attend elementary, junior high and high schools without paying international fees depending on the family’s immigration status. To find out more about tuition fees for children in grades K-12, contact your local school.

Work permits for spouses or common-law partners

In the coming weeks, only spouses or common-law partners of international students enrolled in master's and doctoral programs will have access to open work permits. The spouses or common-law partners of international students in different academic levels, such as undergraduate and college programs, will lose their eligibility for these permits.

If you are an international student studying full-time, your common-law partner or spouse may qualify for an open work permit. Approval is not guaranteed.

To qualify under administrative code C42, the dependent spouse or common-law partner must have a genuine relationship with you (the principal foreign national), and you must meet the following criteria:

Possess a valid study permit or have received a letter of introduction for a study permit (if applying as part of a family group from outside Canada)
Be enrolled or intending to enrol full-time in courses at a designated learning institution
Be accepted into or enrolled in a post-graduation work permit-eligible study program or institution
Reside in Canada while studying or have plans to reside in Canada while studying

Dependent children of study permit holders are not eligible to obtain an open work permit under this category.

Invitation for a family visit

If you are inviting your family to visit you or to attend your convocation, you can write a letter of invitation and provide documents to support their application for a visitor visa.

Letter of invitation

You must write a letter of invitation to accompany your family members’ Temporary Resident Visa applications if you are inviting family to visit you or to attend your convocation.

MacEwan University cannot write this letter on your behalf. However, you can ask to see a sample letter at MacEwan International.

Consult Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) regarding invitation letters and for information about all required documents and information.