A Child Moving on to College While the Parents Wish to Stay

We recently spoke with a family whose child had been studying at a Canadian secondary school and planned to move on to a post-secondary program. The child was still preparing the English-language results required by the school, so the timing of a formal letter of acceptance was uncertain. Meanwhile, the child’s study permit was approaching expiry, and both parents’ visitor records would expire a few weeks later.

The parents wanted to remain in Canada to support their child. They wondered whether they had to wait for the child’s new study permit to be approved before applying to extend their own stay. Each family member’s status needs to be addressed separately.

The child and the next study permit

Moving from secondary school to a post-secondary institution is more than a routine extension at the same school. The family needs to confirm the new school’s admission requirements and whether a provincial attestation letter (PAL) is required.

If the necessary documents are not yet available, the child’s options must be assessed before the current study permit expires. An intention to apply for a study permit later does not, by itself, extend the child’s status.

The parents and their visitor records

The parents can explain in their own visitor record applications why they wish to remain in Canada during their child’s transition to post-secondary education. They do not have to wait for the child’s new study permit to be approved before submitting their applications.

Their applications should include the family and education documents currently available, a clear explanation of the support they will provide, the length of stay requested, and evidence that they can cover their living expenses.

Having received a visitor record extension before does not prevent them from applying again. IRCC will assess each new application on its own facts and evidence.

Leaving and returning to Canada

The family also considered leaving Canada and returning later. A multiple-entry visa allows a person to travel to Canada while the visa is valid; a visitor record documents how long they are authorized to stay in Canada.

On a later trip, a border officer decides whether to admit them and how long they may stay. Another six-month stay should never be assumed.

For this family, the immediate task is to protect each person’s current status. The child’s study permit, the parents’ visitor extensions, and the family’s longer-term goals can then be assessed in light of the school’s admission decision and their actual plans.