Did you know that minors can apply for study visa if they have a relative who can become a custodian in Canada. Apart from this, if you are coming to Canada on Study Visa or Work Permit, and your child is accompanying you, then they can also request a study permit. Age of majority varies for every province and territory of Canada. Following is the categorization for age of majority across Canada:
| Province or territory | Age of majority |
| Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan | 18 |
| British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Yukon | 19 |
Minors of foreign nationality can come to Canada for study if they can prove that they either:
- come with their parent or legal guardian “OR”
- have a custodian in Canada (A Canadian citizen or PR who will take care of and support the minor child)
To appoint a custodian, a declaration form from custodian is needed to be sent along with study permit application. As per IRCC guidelines, two pages of the form look similar, but:
- the first page needs to be signed by the custodian and notarized (certified by a lawyer or notary) in Canada
- the second page needs to be signed by the parents or legal guardians of the minor child and notarized in their home country
Furthermore, as per IRCC’s website, minors already in Canada may study without a study permit if they:
- are in kindergarten, no matter what their parents’ status is in Canada
- want to go to pre-school, primary or secondary school and have a parent who is allowed to work or study in Canada
- are refugees or refugee claimants
- have parents who are refugees or refugee claimants
- came to Canada as a visitor for a course or program of studies of six months or less
- will study in a course or program of six months or less
- are in Canada by themselves
Minors Accompanying Parents Having Valid Study or Work Permit:
There are few things to consider for under-age children accompanying their parents who are already coming on study or work permit. Such children must apply for a study permit before they enter Canada. However, they don’t need to provide a letter of acceptance from a school at the time of application.
But, you’ll need a letter of acceptance if you are a minor child in Canada with a family member who had a work or study permit approved before entering Canada.
Choosing DLI for Study Visa:
To apply for study visa, always ensure that you are getting admission in a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). All the primary and secondary schools in Canada are Designated, so minors who want to apply for study in class up to 12th standard, can choose any school that offers admission. For post-secondary study, you can click here to check whether a college or university is designated learning institution or not.