Children at school in Canada: free, arranged by province, and in Québec in French
Public education in Canada is free and arranged by the province. Compulsory schooling runs from 6 to 18 in Ontario, from 5 to 16 in British Columbia. You enrol with the school board of your home address, with the vaccination record. The trap is in Québec: children of immigrants go to a French-language school there, and English instruction is an exception you must be entitled to.
Yes, your children can go to a public school in Canada straight away, and it is free. Education is provincial: compulsory schooling, the age at which kindergarten starts and the language differ per province. In Ontario school is compulsory from 6 to 18, in British Columbia from 5 to 16. The finding at the source is in Québec: French is the language of instruction there, and children of immigrants go to a French-language school. English instruction is an exception you must be entitled to, and most Dutch families are not.
Does my child need a study permit?
Not for primary and secondary school. A minor child who comes with a parent who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident does not need a study permit. The same applies to a child already in Canada with a parent who has a work or study permit. Minors without a study permit must, however, have valid visitor status during their stay.
IRCC still recommends applying for a study permit. The reason: whoever reaches the age of majority needs one to keep studying, and that age differs per province. For families on a temporary permit it is worth doing.
| Ontario | British Columbia | Québec | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory schooling | from September of the year the child turns 6, until 18 or a secondary school diploma | from the school year in which the child turns 5 by 31 December, until 16 | — |
| Kindergarten | free, two years, for 4- and 5-year-olds; junior kindergarten possible from the year the child turns 4 | from September of the year the child turns 5; one year's deferral allowed | — |
| Language of instruction | English, or French for those with French-language rights | English, or French for those entitled to it | French; English only with permission |
| Age of majority (study permit needed) | 18 | 19 | 18 |
How do I enrol my child?
With the school board of your home address. In Ontario, according to the province, almost every child can attend a public school for free, regardless of the immigration status of the child or the parents. There are four types of school board: English public, English Catholic, French public and French Catholic. French-language boards are for parents with French-language rights. There are also French immersion programmes.
In British Columbia you bring your child's original birth certificate, the immigration documents for you and your child, the immunisation record and proof of your home address, such as a rental agreement. Kindergarten registration usually starts in January or February for the school year beginning in September.
Bring your Dutch vaccination record. In Ontario you as a parent are legally responsible for reporting your child's vaccinations to the local public health unit; a child who is not up to date may in certain circumstances be excluded from school.
What does a teenager in Ontario need for a diploma?
Anyone finishing secondary school in Ontario needs, besides the compulsory subjects, 40 hours of volunteering and must meet the literacy requirement. There are English-as-a-second-language courses for newcomers, and up to three of those credits count towards the compulsory English courses. For a teenager starting at fifteen, the volunteering is something to plan straight away.
Québec: French, unless you are entitled to English. In Québec French is the language of instruction in preschool, primary and secondary school. English instruction is for children who live in Québec permanently and have a parent who is a Canadian citizen, and who themselves, or a brother or sister, received most of their schooling in Canada in English, or whose parent attended an English primary school in Canada. A Dutch family with permanent residence generally falls outside this. Children of parents who work or study in Québec temporarily can get a temporary authorisation for English instruction, but special rules govern its maximum duration. If you choose Québec, plan on French.
How do I apply for that authorisation in Québec?
Through the school or school board where you want to enrol your child. They guide the application and send it with the documents to the Ministry of Education. A complete application is generally processed within 15 working days for the current school year, and within 20 working days for the following one.
How enrolment fits between the other steps of your first weeks is in your first weeks in Canada. The order of the arrival phase is at /canada.
In Vertrekklaar this is phase 5 of 5 of the journey, step 5.6: the same steps, but for your situation — in your order, tickable, and with the deadlines watched. See the whole journey to Canada or go straight to step 5.6 in the open plan.
What this rests on
The facts in this article come from these official pages. Rules change — when in doubt the source is leading, not this article.
- IRCC — studying as a minor, when a child does not need a study permit — canada.ca
- Ontario — public schools, free regardless of immigration status — ontario.ca
- Ontario — kindergarten and compulsory school from age 6 — ontario.ca
- Ontario — the parent guide, school boards and French-language education — ontario.ca
- Ontario — school information, the duty to stay in school until 18 — ontario.ca
- Ontario — reporting vaccinations to public health (Immunization of School Pupils Act) — ontario.ca
- British Columbia — School Act, enrolment from 5 and compulsory schooling to 16 — bclaws.gov.bc.ca
- British Columbia — kindergarten, when and with which papers you register — www2.gov.bc.ca
- Québec — eligibility for instruction in English and the temporary authorisation — quebec.ca
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