Canada Dependent Child Schooling Guide for Nepali Student Families 2027

Record the child’s age, province of intended residence, school level, current physical location and whether the accompanying parent holds or has approval for a Canadian study or work permit. IRCC currently says a minor applying from outside Canada for study longer than six months needs a study permit, including a child accompanying a parent whose permit was approved before travel.

A minor already inside Canada may study at preschool, primary or secondary level without a study permit when accompanied by a parent authorized to study or work. The child must still maintain valid visitor status. IRCC encourages obtaining a study permit because it can support continuity after the child ceases to be a minor, secondary-school co-op authorization and access to some provincial services.

The age of majority is 18 or 19 depending on the province or territory. Plan before that birthday because a child who wants to keep studying after becoming an adult generally needs a study permit. Do not assume the parent’s permit automatically extends the child’s status or school authorization.

Collect the child’s passport, birth certificate naming the parents, photographs, parent permits or approval letters, marriage or relationship records where relevant, school admission evidence and proof of funds. Translate Nepali documents through an acceptable process and preserve the original, translation and translator evidence required by IRCC.

When one parent does not accompany the child, prepare a notarized consent letter, signed identification and custody or decision-making documents. IRCC’s current lone-parent guidance distinguishes sole custody, joint custody, an unknown parent and a deceased parent. Provide the applicable court order, death certificate or legal authority rather than a generic consent statement.

A child travelling alone may require a custodianship declaration, school letter of acceptance and proof of living and return-transport funds. Even an accompanied child should carry a consent letter when only one parent travels. Border officers assess child safety and family authority independently of school admission.

Contact the public or private school board serving the Canadian address. Ask for the international or newcomer admissions office and confirm catchment, grade placement, tuition assessment, start date, language support, vaccination, previous report cards and proof-of-address requirements. An immigration exemption from a study permit does not decide school fees.

Provide accurate evidence of the parent’s full-time enrolment, program type, DLI and permit validity because some boards use these facts when assessing dependent-child fees. Rules can differ between provinces and boards and can change if the parent stops studying, changes status or graduates. Obtain the fee decision and refund policy in writing.

Budget for registration, transport, lunch, clothing, devices, activities, childcare and health coverage even where tuition is waived. Compare school calendars with the parent’s intake and housing. Arriving after the term begins can delay assessment and placement, and a temporary hotel address may not establish a permanent catchment.

Track separate passport, visitor record, study permit, TRV and health-insurance dates for every family member. Apply for extensions before expiry when eligible and do not assume one family application automatically covers everyone. A visa permits travel to the border, while temporary resident status controls the stay inside Canada.

Reassess the child’s position if the parent changes DLI, takes leave, completes study, applies for a PGWP or loses status. Notify the school board when required and confirm whether tuition or admission changes. Plan the child’s own study permit before the provincial age of majority and keep continuous report cards and enrolment letters.

MKS Education can help organize the family timeline, admission questions and document checklist and identify cases needing an authorized immigration or family-law professional. It cannot grant custody, waive tuition, secure admission or guarantee visas, permits, work or residence. Use current IRCC and school-board instructions for the exact province.

When a policy changes, compare the new instruction with the student’s application date, credential, institution, campus and personal status before deciding what applies. Do not silently replace an old document or reinterpret a rule from a headline. If the effect is uncertain, pause payment or submission and obtain clarification from the responsible authority or a properly authorised professional.

This evidence trail also improves counselling quality. The student and family can see which facts are confirmed, which are estimates and which remain conditional. MKS Education uses this approach to support transparent education planning while leaving admission and immigration decisions with the relevant institutions and Canadian authorities.