mogscat

hi
Trying to find out how likely we are to be able to enrol two kids (12 and 15) in school if entering Canada with dual intent, as visitors while waiting for PR.

Have read a post here where the family were able to get a letter from school board and enrol no problem, wondering if this is usually how it goes or if it can be more difficult? It would be a showstopper for us if kids' schooling were likely to be interrupted for any length of time.

For info, my partner is Canadian, kids and I are British, he would be sponsoring all of us. (Kids are mine from previous relationship).

Pulaski

It is highly likely that, notwithstanding the niceties of immigration and visas, if you are resident in an area ("resident" for the purposes of your children's education, not "resident" for the purposes of visas and immigration, or "resident" for any other purpose), that you are legally required to ensure that your children receive legally mandated education.

This would apply even if you were not in the country legally - children of school age must receive education, and you could be committing an offence by not registering them for school (or providing equivalent home schooling).

SchnookoLoly

Best bet is to work out the school board that governs the area where you are planning on moving and dropping them an email asking them what documentation they'll require.

mogscat

Thanks for your reply Pulaski.
Is the public education system obliged to help me avoid committing an offence?! In other words, does this mean I would have to look for private education or home school them myself?

mogscat

Good idea, we don't know where we'd be going as it's early days but I'll bear that in mind. thank you.


Are the kids already Canadian...I'll check on their labels to make sure!! No they are just British at present. They quite fancy having dual nationality like my partner but haven't quite got that far!

SchnookoLoly

I saw after I posted that that I'd misread your first post and missed that they were not Canadian! My mistake! I edited my original post but you beat me to it.

anglogerman

For the Toronto District School Board, it was no problem to enrol my 14 year old son in school; all they wanted was all our passports, the sponsorship approval letter, two proofs of residence (tenancy agreement and utility bill) and our marriage certificate; they issued a letter of admission right away.
Admittedly I had printed out various pages of the Ontario Education Act just in case, in which it states that not even the children of illegal immigrants can be denied schooling. It also states that no fees or study visa is required for children of parents who are in Ontario with dual intent.
Obviously I can't say if the same applies in other provinces.

Pulaski

I don't believe there is a country in the west/ industrialized world for which education isn't mandatory and provided "free" by the state for children "living" there (not "visiting") at very least up to the age of 15-16 and entirely rrespective of their residence/ immigration status.

Geordie Lass

Not sure if they are obliged to help you not to commit an offence but my son's school certainly required all the right documents when he started.

We had to go and enrol him in an office and take his passport along with mine and my hubbys.

The school itself asked for the work permits and then when it was due to run out they asked again for another one (by that time we had already got PR). He was enrolled as a temporary resident student I think.

So my guess is no they won't help you not commit an offence but will tell you if you don't have the right paperwork.

lindamchugh

We are in Toronto well outside it Durham region and it was as easy as pie just provided proof of address their main concern was the catchment being correct and not so much the PR status good luck !

Pulaski

Legally that is how it is required to be. If a child lives within the catchment area the school district is required to provide education, notwithstanding any attempts by the school district to verify immigration status.