Work Visa to Canada: Can I bring my children with me?

There are two popular ways to go to Canada: immigration and temporary work. The latter, by the way, makes it possible to immigrate in the future. And while with immigration everything is clear, since all family members immigrate together, those who go for temporary work wonder, "Can I take my children with me and receive child benefits in Canada?"

In theory, everything looks very bright: a person who has received a work permit in Canada can take his child with him, all he has to do is to prepare some documents. But if you "dig" deeper into this question, it becomes clear that traveling to work in Canada with children is not an easy task. Everything becomes even more difficult if the person with a work permit is a single parent.

Before we tell you what documents you need to prepare to take your child to Canada, we want to warn you about all the risks and problems associated with this "undertaking.

Problem 1: Not enough money

It is not easy for a foreigner in Canada to get a high-paying job as soon as he arrives. Many start out with an ordinary unskilled job with a minimum wage of CAD$1,550 per month.

For one adult, this amount is enough for a normal life in Canada. But if you have a child, the minimum wage is probably not enough for you.

Prices in Canada vary greatly from province to province. Quebec is considered the cheapest province to live in, and British Columbia and Ontario are the most expensive. But let's calculate the approximate cost of living in Canada:

Lodging: you can find a room for 500 Canadian dollars.

Food: It would cost about $400 Canadian per month per adult and child.

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Internet and Communications: will cost about $50 Canadian for internet and $40 Canadian for mobile.

School: One joy is that schools in Canada are free. However, fees may be charged for school supplies, uniforms, etc.

The sum of the above-mentioned figures is already 1,440 Canadian dollars. Add to that travel, incidental expenses, and unplanned expenditures.

Statistics show that the average monthly cost per child in Montreal (Quebec) is $175 CAD, Winnipeg (Manitoba) is $650 CAD, Charlottetown (Prince Edward Island) is $740 CAD, and Toronto (Ontario) is $1,675 CAD.

Problem 2: They won't take you to school/preschool

Children of foreigners with work permits are eligible to attend kindergartens and schools in Canada, but there may be a few problems with admission.

Often a child has to take an English or French test when he or she enters school. Based on the test results, your child may be placed in a kindergarten class.

Besides, you can get on a very long waiting list for enrollment, because in Canada it is customary to enroll children in kindergarten almost from birth.

Problem 3: Home alone

In Canada, it is illegal to leave a child under the age of 12 alone at home. So if you cannot get your child into day care or school, you will need to prove that someone will look after the child while you work.

You either have to hire a nanny or leave your child at after-school programs, where there is often a waiting list for several years in advance. And all this costs money.

Problem 4: No Child Benefit

Are you hoping for child benefits as soon as you arrive in Canada? But there are no freebies here either. You can't apply for child benefits until you've been working in Canada for 18 months. Read about Child benefits for temporary workers in Canada in our article →

Problem 5: Permission of the second parent

If you are going to Canada with a child under the age of 18, but without the other parent, you must get their permission. If the parents live together or separately, but are in a normal relationship, there should be no problem in getting the consent of the other parent.

Problems arise if the person who wants to go to work in Canada and wants to take a child with him is a single parent, and the other parent is not deprived of parental rights and does not give consent to take the child (or such consent is impossible to obtain for various reasons).

Read more about obtaining permission from the second parent to take the child to Canada and the problems involved in this procedure in our article → .

Still want to take your child with you to Canada? Then read on!

Obtaining permission to study

Children under the age of 18 are considered minors in Canada. They must follow the same rules to enter Canada as any other visitor, that is, obtain a visitor visa.

Minors who want to study in Canada for six months or more must apply for a study permit before entering Canada. This applies to minor children who come with their parents who have already been approved on their work permit.

If a child comes to Canada with parents who have a work permit, they do not need to show a letter of enrolment when they apply for a study permit.

You can apply for a Child Study Permit online.

Minors who already live in Canada with parents who have a work permit must apply for a study permit. In some provinces or territories, this permit is required for social services.

You can get by without a study permit in a few cases:

• in kindergarten, regardless of their parents' status in Canada;
• in a pre-school, elementary school or secondary school if their parent is authorized to work in Canada;
• if they are refugees;
• if their parents are refugees;
• if the training program lasts less than 6 months.

Minors who do not have permission to study must have valid visitor status while in Canada.

So, if you are approved for a work permit in Canada, but have not yet entered Canada, you must apply for a study permit for your child before you enter Canada (if the study will last more than 6 months).

If you are approved for a work permit in Canada, but you have already entered Canada with a minor child who is in visitor status, he or she can study in Canada without a study permit, but must keep their temporary resident status. Immigration officers must grant this status for the same duration as the parent's status.