To bring your spouse or common-law partner and children with you while you study in Canada, you must meet the Canada student dependent visa requirements: proof of extra funds on top of tuition ($28,502 CAD per year for a student with one family member outside Quebec, more for larger families and higher in Quebec), civil status documents proving each relationship, medical exams by an IRCC-approved physician, and a separate application for every family member. A spousal open work permit is available only if you are enrolled in specific graduate-level or professional programs under rules that took effect January 21, 2025.
Who Qualifies as a Dependent
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recognizes two categories: spouses or common-law partners, and dependent children.
A spouse is someone legally married to you in a ceremony recognized both where it took place and under Canadian law. A common-law partner must show they have lived with you in a conjugal relationship for at least 12 consecutive months without significant breaks.1Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. Spouses, Common-law Partners and Conjugal Partners – Ch. 5 Proving that year of cohabitation usually means shared leases, joint bank accounts, utility bills in both names, or similar documentation of a genuine shared household.
Children qualify if they are under 22 and have no spouse or common-law partner of their own. A child 22 or older can still qualify if they have depended on their parents financially since before turning 22 and cannot support themselves because of a physical or mental condition.2Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Who You Can Include as a Dependent Child on an Immigration Application
How Much Money You Have to Show
IRCC sets minimum financial thresholds on top of tuition and return transportation. The amounts increased for applications filed on or after September 1, 2025, and apply to 2026 applications. For all provinces and territories except Quebec, the required annual amounts are:
- Student alone: $22,895 CAD
- Student plus one family member: $28,502 CAD
- Student plus two family members: $35,040 CAD
These are household totals, not per-person add-ons. Bringing one dependent means showing roughly $5,607 CAD more than a single student; a second dependent adds about $6,538 CAD beyond that.3Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Study Permit: Get the Right Documents – Proof of Financial Support
Quebec Sets Higher Amounts
Quebec’s thresholds, as of January 1, 2026, are considerably higher:
- Student alone: $24,617 CAD
- Student plus spouse: $34,814 CAD
- Student, spouse, and one child: $42,638 CAD
- Student, spouse, and two children: $49,234 CAD
All figures sit on top of tuition and travel.4Government of Quebec. Costs Related to Studying in Quebec
What Counts as Proof
The most common proof is bank statements from the past four months showing a consistent balance at or above the threshold. A Canadian bank account with a deposited amount is especially persuasive. IRCC also accepts a bank draft convertible to Canadian dollars, a scholarship provider letter, or proof of participation in a Canadian-funded educational program.3Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Study Permit: Get the Right Documents – Proof of Financial Support A funding letter from an individual must be paired with other documents showing the funds actually exist.
Whether Your Spouse Can Work
This is where families most often miscalculate. Before January 21, 2025, the spouse or common-law partner of virtually any full-time international student could apply for an open work permit. That is no longer true.
Under the current rules, spousal open work permits are limited to partners of students enrolled in:
- Master’s programs of 16 months or longer
- Doctoral programs of any length
- Select professional programs designated by IRCC
Spouses of students in most undergraduate programs, college diploma or certificate programs, and master’s programs shorter than 16 months generally cannot get an open work permit.5Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Changes to Open Work Permits for Family Members of Temporary Residents If your program is not on the eligible list, your spouse can still come to Canada as a visitor, but will not be authorized to work. Confirm your program’s status before your spouse gives up a job at home.
Documents Each Dependent Needs
Every dependent needs a valid passport or travel document covering the full intended stay in Canada. Beyond that, the paperwork depends on the relationship:
- Spouses: marriage certificate from the issuing authority
- Common-law partners: proof of 12 months of cohabitation, such as shared leases, joint accounts, and statutory declarations from friends or family
- Dependent children: birth certificate or adoption records
These civil status documents establish the family tie to the primary student.6Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Your IRCC Application: Supporting Documents
Medical examinations by an IRCC-approved panel physician are mandatory for dependents. You cannot use your own family doctor; the panel physician’s office typically uploads results directly to IRCC.7Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Medical Exams – Immigration Book early. Panel physician wait times can run several weeks depending on your location.
Dependents applying from outside Canada generally complete the Temporary Resident Visa application (form IMM 5257) unless they are citizens of a visa-exempt country.8Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Application for Visitor Visa (Temporary Resident Visa) Spouses eligible for an open work permit file a separate work permit application. The forms require a full personal history, including past addresses, employment, previous visa refusals, and any criminal history. A missing signature or blank date field can get the entire package returned as incomplete.
Fees and Processing Time
Expect several fees depending on what each family member is applying for:
- Study permit: $150 CAD per person9Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Citizenship and Immigration Application Fees
- Visitor visa (temporary resident visa): $100 CAD per person, capped at $500 CAD for a family of five or more applying together
- Open work permit for an eligible spouse: $100 CAD
- Biometrics: $85 CAD per individual, or $170 CAD for a family of two or more applying at the same time10Government of Canada. Pay Your Application Fees Online
Children under 14 and applicants over 79 are exempt from biometrics.11Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Biometrics Who Needs to Give Their Fingerprints and Photo
Applications go through IRCC’s online portal. After payment, anyone required to give biometrics receives an instruction letter directing them to a local Visa Application Centre for fingerprints and a photo. Processing times vary widely by country of origin, but temporary residence applications typically run 8 to 16 weeks based on recent historical data.12Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Check Current IRCC Processing Times
School for Dependent Children
Minor children already in Canada with a parent who holds a study or work permit do not legally need their own study permit to attend school, though IRCC recommends applying for one anyway to formalize status. Children coming to Canada for the first time with a parent applying for a study permit should apply for their own study permit before arriving, and do not need a letter of acceptance from a school for that application.13Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Studying in Canada as a Minor
Whether a dependent child attends public school for free or pays international student tuition varies by school board. Some boards waive fees for children of study permit holders; others charge full international rates. Contact the local school board directly before assuming free enrollment.
Keeping Everyone’s Status Valid
A dependent’s status is tied to your study permit. If your permit expires or lapses, your dependents may lose valid status too. Each family member must apply separately to restore their status and pay the applicable restoration fee.14Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. Extend Your Study Permit or Restore Your Status Staying in Canada without valid status makes the situation far harder to fix later, so track expiry dates for every family member from the moment you arrive.