On September 18, 2024, IRCC announced several changes for temporary residents including limiting work permit eligibility to spouses of master’s students whose programs are at least 16 months, and limiting work permit eligibility to spouses of workers in management or professional occupations or in sectors with labour shortages later this year.
Get timely updates on immigration, work eligibility, and health insurance for international students.
Applying for your dependents to join you in Canada
It may be possible for your dependents to come live with you in Canada during your studies as a visitor, student, or worker.
They can apply together at the same time when you make your initial study permit application from outside Canada or apply separately to join you after you’ve arrived. Typically, their study permit, work permit, or visitor record will be issued for the same length as your study permit.
If their passport expires soon, they should extend it well in advance since documents cannot be issued beyond the expiry date of a passport.
Each family member, even infants, will have their own Canadian immigration document. It is important that each family member maintains valid status in Canada by either leaving Canada or applying to extend their stay before their status in Canada ends.
Common-law partners
Canadian immigration policy considers a common-law partner in the same manner as a legal spouse. Common-law partners are people of the same or opposite sex who have lived together continuously in a conjugal, marriage-like relationship for at least one year.
Depending on their country of citizenship, each family member may need to apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV, or “entry visa”) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) which allows them to travel to Canada. US citizens and lawful permanent residents of the US are exempt. TRVs and eTAs are travel documents only and do not provide status in Canada.
If your family members apply for a study permit or work permit from outside of Canada, the TRV or eTA is provided automatically. Find out if your family needs a TRV or eTA.
Depending on your dependents’ situation, they could come to Canada as a visitor, student, or worker.
Visitor status
Visitor documents may include any of the following:
A stamp in the passport (rare)
A printed document called a Visitor Record
Whether or not a passport is stamped, visitors can remain in Canada for six months from the date of entry. However, if the officer writes a date under the stamp or issues a Visitor Record, the visitor must leave or extend their stay before the date provided.
Unless your dependents are coming for a short visit, they should request a Visitor Record upon entry to Canada with an expiry date that matches your study permit.
If your dependents enter Canada with you, they will typically be issued Visitor Records for the same length as your study permit.
If your dependents enter Canada without you, they may be admitted as visitors for up to six months. To improve the likelihood that their visitor record is issued for the same length as your study permit, send them copies of your study permit, Temporary Resident Visa (if you have one), passport and a current UBC letter of enrollment indicating the expected completion date of your studies (from the Student Service Centre or your advising or graduate program staff) for them to present to the Officer on arrival.
Visitors admitted for six months or less are not eligible for the BC Medical Services Plan, BC's provincial health insurance plan, and you should purchase private temporary health insurance for the duration of their stay—see below for more information on health insurance. If your family plans to stay longer than six months, you should apply to extend their stay as soon as possible and before their visitor status expires.
Study permits for your children
A child under the age of 19 in British Columbia is considered a minor child. Minor children applying from outside Canada to accompany a parent who will work or study in Canada for 6 months or longer must apply for a study permit. They do not need to provide a letter of acceptance from an educational institution.
Minor children already in Canada can study without a study permit at the pre-school, primary, or secondary level if at least one parent is authorized to work or study in Canada. In general, having a study permit rather than a visitor record can make the immigration process run more smoothly for accompanying minor children.
You should also bring the following documents for your children:
2 years of your child's official school records, in English or with a certified English translation
Your child's immunization records since birth
Your child's original birth certificate
Read more information on what a minor child needs to study in Canada if they’re not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
Children usually start elementary school in the year they turn 5 years old. If your child is not yet school aged, they do not require a study permit and should apply for a Temporary Resident Visa or Electronic Travel Authorization, if required. You should request a Visitor Record for them when entering Canada.
If your child is 19 or older, they will need to apply for their study permit independently. If they meet the definition of a dependent child, you can submit their Visitor Record application together with your study/work permit application.
Work permit for your spouse or partner
A spouse/partner work permit is an open work permit which allows your spouse or common-law partner to work full-time while you study. Your spouse or partner does not need a job offer to apply for the work permit. The spouse/partner work permit will usually be issued for the same length of time as your study or work permit.
As of March 19, 2024, only spouses or common-law partners of students in some programs can apply for an open work permit. Your spouse or common-law partner can apply for a open work permit if you're an international student who:
is studying full-time (or will study full-time once you begin studies in Canada)
Has a valid study permit (or is applying for a study permit from outside Canada at the same time as the work permit)
Is in a master’s degree, doctoral degree, or professional degree program which is eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) (or will be when you begin studies in Canada). Graduate certificates and diplomas are not master’s degrees and thus do not qualify for this.
If your spouse or common-law partner already has a spouse/partner open work permit, they can apply to extend their work permit so long as you have a valid study permit, are studying full-time, and are eligible for a PGWP. You can extend your study permit and your spouse/partner’s work permit together in one application. Contact International Student Advising for support.
If you've finished studies and are applying for the Post-Graduation Work Permit, there are additional requirements you must meet for your spouse or partner to be eligible for a work permit. Contact International Student Advising for support.
There are a few options for your spouse or partner to apply for a work permit. Contact International Student Advising to discuss your spouse or partner's circumstances and options to apply for a TRV or work permit.
From outside Canada
They can apply at the same time you apply for your initial study permit in one application, or separately after you’ve arrived in Canada with a copy of your study permit or PGWP. Contact International Student Advising for support if you are transitioning to the PGWP and your spouse wants to apply for a work permit since there are additional requirements.
Review the spouse/partner work permit tutorial for inside Canada applications, then review the IRCC work permit outside of Canada guide since the application will be slightly different. Be sure to include any additional documents required by the visa office in the "Client Information" section—after selecting "online," select your country under the "where are you applying from" section then see the visa office instructions PDF.
It is important to provide an explanation and supporting documents to satisfy the officer that they have ties to their home country and will leave Canada by the end of their authorized stay. Find other helpful tips, such as how to prepare a letter of explanation, in our initial study permit tutorial required documents page.
Upon arrival in Canada: for Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) holders and US citizens and permanent residents only
They can apply for a work permit at the airport or border crossing when entering Canada if they are TRV-exempt and have an eTA or are a US citizen or lawful permanent resident of the US. If they are from an eTA expansion country they are not eligible to apply for a work permit upon entry to Canada. See full details of who can apply upon entry. They will need to bring all printed documents and forms with them following the ‘from outside Canada’ section above. Visa office specific documents are not required. If the officer approves the application, the work permit will be issued immediately.
After they arrive in Canada
They can apply online from inside Canada if they have valid visitor or student status. They can apply separately with a copy of your study permit or PGWP or at the same time you apply for a study permit extension. Contact International Student Advising for support if you are transitioning to the PGWP and your spouse has a work permit since there are additional requirements.
If they are from a country which requires a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), they will need a valid TRV to travel to Canada.
It could also be possible to apply at the US border after entering Canada (“flagpoling”); however there are risks involved. As of June 21, 2024, PGWP applicants can no longer apply at the Canada-US border through “flagpoling” therefore it is not possible to apply for the PGWP and spousal work permit at the border at the same time. Contact International Student Advising for support.
You will need to purchase private temporary health insurance for at least their first 3 months in Canada, such as iMED, then apply for the Medical Services Plan (MSP) once they’ve arrived in British Columbia, if eligible. MSP fees are based on whether your dependent has status as a visitor, student, or worker. You might also be eligible to enroll your dependents in the AMS/GSS Health and Dental Plan. For iMED and AMS/GSS Health and Dental, check the dates by which you can add dependents.
When you extend your documents, you will likely need to extend each dependent’s status in Canada as well. You can extend their stay at the same time you extend your study permit or apply for the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). Contact International Student Advising for support if you are transitioning to the PGWP and your spouse has a work permit since there are additional requirements.
Be sure to extend the documents for each individual (even infants) before their status in Canada expires. Applications must be submitted before 11:59 pm UTC (not local time) on the date their status expires to remain in Canada under maintained status.
Visitors are not eligible to apply for a TRV in Canada, and will need to apply through the visa office serving their country of citizenship. Contact International Student Advising for support.
Inviting your family to visit you in Canada
If a family member such as a parent requires a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) and wants to come visit you in Canada temporarily—for example, to attend your graduation ceremony—you can provide documents to help them with their TRV application.
The immigration information on this page has been reviewed and endorsed by Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) or Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs) in compliance with the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations. However, this is not a legal document and information may change without notice. Always refer to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for the most up-to-date information.
You can connect with International Student Advising for questions related to immigration, health insurance, and life as an international student in Canada.
