A parent planning to study in Canada with a 6-year-old asked how others handled dependent children. The points members agreed on:
- Age is the dividing line. Children aged 6 and above are of school age and must apply for their own study permit — several members were emphatic that a child without a study permit cannot attend school in Canada. Children under school age can accompany a parent as visitors.
- A visitor visa is a poor workaround for a school-age child. One member spelled out the consequences: on a visitor visa the child can stay six months and would then need to convert to a study permit anyway — extra applications and risk compared with applying correctly up front.
- File the child's application with yours. Members with the same situation planned the minor's IMM 1294 study permit application alongside the main applicant's, rather than sequentially.
The thread's practical questions about what to enter for the child's school details (when admission isn't yet secured) went unanswered — members shared the requirement, not the form mechanics, so verify those details against IRCC's minor-children guidance when applying.