A member planning to move to Nova Scotia for a business analytics program, bringing her husband on an open work permit and child on a visitor visa, was told by multiple agents that families "can't" move together this way and that her academic profile (54% with one backlog) was too weak.
What the thread clarified:- There is no rule against a family unit moving together on SDS + SOWP + a child's visitor visa. Members confirmed this is a well-established pattern in the group, and it's the agents' claim that's wrong, not the applicant's plan.
- Visa approval isn't decided by a single factor. A lower academic percentage or an old backlog doesn't automatically sink an application — officers weigh the whole profile (IELTS score, work experience, financial documentation, and how well the SOP ties everything together), not just the transcript.
- Be skeptical of agents who discourage a legitimate route to avoid the extra paperwork or liability. One member who ditched an agent making the same claim applied independently and succeeded in bringing her husband and 3-year-old with her.
- The consensus was to build the strongest possible overall profile (test scores, employment history, clear justification in the SOP) rather than assume a lower percentage disqualifies you.
The practical takeaway: applying as a family under SDS with a spousal open work permit and a child's visitor visa is a legitimate, commonly used route — don't let an agent's blanket refusal talk you out of it; focus instead on strengthening the rest of your profile.