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Around 100,000 international student comes to Canada each year to complete their post-secondary degrees. The generous Canadian government provides a lot of great benefits to international students.
One of the major benefits is that international students in Canada can bring their families during their study period. The spouse and child can work and study in Canada in the meantime.
There are more the family of international students can able when they come to Canada. In this article, we’ll focus on what you need to know. Let’s get started!
Do International Students in Canada Can Bring Their Families
Canada is a country that strongly emphasizes family reunification. They understand how hard separation can be for families. This is why the Canadian immigration policy allows international students to bring their families.
Not only that, but the spouse of an international student can also work full-time with an open work permit. This allows working for any employer in Canada without requiring a Labour Market Impact Assessment.
Bringing Spouse in Canada
The spouse of an international student can come to Canada as a visitor. There is two option to come to Canada as a visitor, such as; Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) and Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).
Foreign nationals from some countries can come to Canada with a temporary resident visa. The applicant cannot apply for this from the Canadian port of entry. A medical test may be needed in some cases. The processing time for TRV is quite less.
Most foreign individuals from some visa-exempt countries do not need a temporary resident visa. They can visit Canada with an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).
So, determine whether you need a temporary resident visa or an eTA.
Read Also: Spouse Open Work Permit Extension
Work Permit for the Spouse
Earlier, we mentioned, the spouse of an international student can work in Canada after arrival. The spouse will need an open work permit to be able the benefit. An open work permit lets the spouse of international students work for a specified period.
The validity of the work permit will be the same length as the study permit. The student must be studying full-time from a public post-secondary or private post-secondary institution.
An open work permit allows working for any job under any employer in Canada. It doesn’t require a prior job offer and LMIA.
Application Procedure
The applicant can apply to the country’s Canadian visa office. It can be done alongside the study permit of the student. The work permit requires processing fees. Moreover, the spouse can also apply for an open work permit after arriving in Canada.
Rules for Minor Children
If you have minor children, he/she can also come to Canada. The minor children also need a visa like the spouse of an international student. Also, the children can study at preschools, primary, or secondary school without needing a study permit. The application for minor children can be made from inside Canada.
Extension for the Visas
Most international students switch to being post-graduate work permit holders. In such cases, the spouse may not be able to extend the open work permit. But, they can still stay in Canada, and their minor children can continue the study.
The student changes their status while being in Canada with a separate application. It should be applied a minimum of 30 days before the expiry of a study permit.
Staying Permanently
Not only international students in Canada can bring their families, but they can also remain permanently. Besides, having a Canadian degree increases the chance of being eligible for permanent residency.
This opportuhttps://immigrationincanada.ca/how-to-be-a-permanent-resident-in-canada/nity may not be easy for someone who applies from outside of Canada. With educational and work experience and language proficiency, an international student in Canada becomes more eligible.
Alongside this, the work experience and language proficiency of the spouse also contributes to this. The government of Canada offers a lot of immigration programs for international students. Such as;
- Post-Graduate Work Permit
- Express entry
- Provincial Nominee Program
If you are qualified for any of these programs, you can be a permanent resident in Canada. Also, your spouse can continue working, and your children can continue the study.
Conclusion
As you can see, the benefits are many of being an international student in Canada. The greatest among them is that international students in Canada can bring their families. So, stay close to your family in your new home.