Canada

SPOUSE VISA

Family reunification is the second largest category of Canadian immigration.Family unification is a cornerstone of Canada’s immigration policy and a stated objective of IRPA [s.3(d)]. Even if you’re only intending to study in Canada for a couple of years before returning home, you might not want to leave your family behind. Immigration Canada recognises how hard separation, even brief separation, can be for families. That’s why international students are eligible to bring their families with them when they come to Canada to study.

separation have enormous costs:

A mother describes her experience of separation from her husband .

My kids and I lost four years from our lives together. We suffered a lot; I went through severe depression; I was thinking of suicide a lot. I couldn’t handle life without my kids, and my kids at the same time were suffering. They stopped going to school; they lived in constant fear. No healthcare, no school, their lives and my life stopped.

Another mother describes her experience of separation from her husband, father of their two girls

If every stage of the process takes 40 months then we are doomed. What is happening is inhumane on so many levels. We are refugees, yes, but we are still humans and our family is like any other family – we cannot tolerate the separation anymore.

Paths to permanent residency in Canada

As an international student

As an international student who has come to know and love Canada, you may decide you want to extend your study permit. Or perhaps you want to live and work here after you graduate.

Canada welcomes you. After all, Canada is a country built on immigration.

Discover more about:

– Extending a study permit
– Renewing a temporary resident visa
– Applying for permanent resident status
– Immigrating to Canada

Extend a study permit

Your study permit allowed you to begin your studies in Canada. If you want to continue your education in Canada, you need to extend your study permit.

You need a valid passport to get or extend a study permit. This means the expiry date on your passport must go beyond the time of any extended study permit.
You must apply for an extension to your study permit at least 30 days before the current study permit expires.

Who can work on-campus

You can only start working in Canada when you start your study program. You can’t work before your studies begin. You can work as an international student in Canada if your study permit lists a condition that says you’re allowed to work on- or off-campus.

Full lenght portrait of a happy family standing with a luggage trolley and suitcases at the airport and smiling at the camera.

SPOUSE VISA CANADA