If you plan to study in Canada but leave family behind, group members shared two common approaches and how they weigh on refusal risk.
Common approaches:- Apply for the Study Permit (SP) alone, listing your family as a home-country tie. Members noted most people they knew did this rather than including family in the same application.
- Apply for the Study Permit and Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) together. This is harder to get approved, but not impossible — one member reported success with this route. It generally requires demonstrating strong ties to your home country (property, career, family remaining behind) to convince the officer you still intend to return.
Takeaway: applying with family in the same package doesn't automatically increase refusal risk, but it raises the bar for showing genuine ties and intent to return — be prepared to document those ties clearly regardless of which route you choose.