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Bring Your Dependants

When you come to study in Canada, you may be able to bring your dependants with you. You would usually apply for their status as part of your study permit application. 

If you are already in Canada and want to invite your dependants to join you, you can find more information on the Inviting Family/Friends section of our site. 

Find more information about extending the status of dependants that are already in Canada. 

You can include your dependants when applying for your study permit. Additional funds are required to prove the ability to support both yourself and a spouse or partner. The primary study permit applicant must prove access to enough to pay their tuition plus a minimum of $20,635 CAD (for applications submitted on or after January 1, 2024) for living expenses. A spouse/or partner increases that minimum amount by approximately $5000 CAD (specific amounts are published by IRCC). Your spouse/partner can either apply to join you as a visitor or they can request a spousal open work permit if you are in a master’s or PhD program.

Note: When an application for a dependant is submitted as part of a study permit application, the applications are joined. That means that everyone included must be admissible to Canada for any of the applications to be approved.

Additional funds are required to prove the ability to support both yourself and a child/children (and a spouse/partner, if applicable). The primary study permit applicant must prove access to enough to pay their tuition plus a minimum of $20,635 CAD (for applications submitted on or after January 1, 2024) for living expenses. The first dependant increases that minimum amount by approximately $5000 CAD. Each subsequent dependant increases that minimum amount by approximately $6000 CAD (specific amounts are published by IRCC). These financial expectations are the same whether or not the child requires a study permit.

If you have school-aged children, you are expected to request a study permit for them before coming to Canada. Letters of acceptance for your children are not required.

If your children are not yet school-aged, you can request a TRV or an eTA (if required) to allow them to enter as visitors.

Once in Canada, minor children of international students can attend school regardless of whether they have a study permit or a visitor record, but their status must remain valid. 

TIP

If you need help finding schools or daycare for your children, we encourage you to contact the Family Care Office at the University of Toronto.

Only immediate family members (ie. partners/spouses or children) can get status in Canada that is based on your study permit. A parent/guardian may be able to travel to Canada to help with settling-in or to visit, but cannot expect to get status for the same period as your study permit.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Applications for immediate family members that you want to be with you in Canada should be submitted as part of your study permit application package. If they are asked to include proof of their ‘purpose of travel’, they can provide a simple letter confirming their desire to accompany you, along with a copy of your letter of acceptance.

Family members (or friends) that want to come visit at a later date may need to make their own application for a visa or eTA (if their citizenship requires it). They may include a letter of invitation from you. Find out more on our Inviting Family Members page.

If your dependants arrive with you, they will usually be granted status to match your study permit expiry. This could be documented with a Visitor Record, a Work Permit, or a stamp in their passport with an expiry date written underneath.

If your dependants arrive separately from you they may be granted status to match your study permit expiry or they may be given shorter initial status. This too could be documented with a Visitor Record, a Work Permit, or a stamp in their passport. If no date is written underneath the stamp, it grants 6 months status in Canada. If a date is written underneath the stamp, that is the expiry date of their status in Canada.

If you want to extend the status of your dependants in Canada, details about applying are available on the Inviting Family and Friends page of our site.

Check out our Resources page for more support.