My daughter has just started studying for GCSEs in UK. She is in year 10 aged 14. I may have a chance to move the family to Toronto Canada but not sure whether she can continue her studies easily there. She's very adaptable but obviously don't want to put her studies at risk. anyone else gone through this or got any advice.

I think it would mostly depend on how keen she is to make the move. If she wants to come then I see no reason why she shouldn't be fine, if she doesn't, is resentful and misses her friends then it won't go easy for any of you. It has been my experience that the education system in the Toronto system is very back end loaded - ie. the vast majority of what they need to know is taught in the last few years - I can remember being very worried at the amount of stuff our eldest son didn't know by the start of Grade 9 - by the end of Grade 12 though his level of knowledge was where we expected it to be and in some cases surpassed. I suggest you get hold of the curriculum applicable to the year she will be going in to and go through it with her before you arrive as there probably won't be a direct correlation between what she learnt in the UK and what will be taught here,

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Thank you : that's good advice

Also be aware that school in Canada is less rules oriented than in the UK ......

......... public (state) schools in general do not have uniforms, rules are less restrictive, teachers tend to trust students to do background work and homework by themselves.

You, as parents, may be a little more disturbed about that than your daughter!!!

I was educated in the UK, daughter born and educated here ......

...... my comparison would be that my daughter learned just as much as I did, but she was freer in her choices, didn't have to make major decisions about what she wanted to do relatively early in her schooling but could keep her options open all the way through to university.

14 is a tough age to move to Canada. Forgetting the education part, the biggest hurdle is leaving all her friends and making new ones in Canada. It is never easy moving to a new School, even tougher when you have a funny accent and don't know anyone.

Moving kids elementary school age isn't an issue, but once they start grade 8 (High School) it gets really tough.
My Daughter is 15 and would hate to move to a new country, let alone a new School.

Hello and welcome to BE!

Are you intending to relocate permanently - i.e. become Permanent Residents - or is this more of a temporary move - and if so, how many years?

You might find our wiki articles of use regarding schooling. https://britishexpats.com/wiki/Categ...ucation-Canada

less than 5 seconds ago · #5

Thanks for the advice everyone. A related question. My partner will be moving with me and I would be moving with my company having secured a job. Can she also get a work permit so she can take up a job when we arrive ? We would plan stay long term.

Briefly - have the company started the proceedings required in order for you to be able to apply for a work permit under an inter-company transfer or for obtaining LMIA approval, if not a transfer? You would need to have that in hand before you could obtain a work permit. Your partner could apply for a spousal Open Work Permit on the back of your work permit (on entry) - providing you can supply proof of either being married or having lived together as if married for the minimum of 12 months without break and therefore classified as common-law.

If you have any further questions regarding immigration / work permits please start a new thread in our Immigration forum where you will receive great advice from our knowledgeable and experienced members.

Just to add to Siouxie's excellent advice, your partner could usually only get an open work permit if you job is classed as 'skilled' - so it depends on what you will be doing and the visa you'll be moving on.