Study Permit Rules For Minor Children Updated By IRCC

Study permit guidance for minor children has been updated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to clarify custodianship, travel with one parent and the recording of custodian information in the Global Case Management System (GCMS).

The program delivery update was published on September 22, 2026. It adds officer guidance on minor children applying for study permits and related temporary residence documents.

The update does not announce a new application fee, processing standard or automatic exemption from the study permit requirement.

What IRCC changed in the minor children guidance

IRCC added instructions for officers on entering information from the IMM 5646 Custodianship Declaration into the GCMS Party ID tab.

The department also added or clarified guidance for minors travelling with only one parent.

In addition, the guidance distinguishes the term “custodianship” from “guardianship” when discussing arrangements for minor international students.

IRCC describes the page as operational guidance for officers and says it is posted as a courtesy to stakeholders.

When a minor child needs a study permit

A minor child who intends to study in Canada generally must apply for a study permit before entering the country, unless an applicable exemption applies.

The guidance states that visa offices processing applications made outside Canada should assess minor children who want to study as students rather than visitors, even when they are accompanying a parent authorized to work or study in Canada.

This means a child applying from overseas normally requires a study permit unless a specific regulatory exemption applies.

IRCC separately states that minor children already in Canada may be authorized to study at the preschool, primary or secondary level without a study permit in specified circumstances.

• The child is accompanying a parent who is claiming refugee protection or is a refugee claimant.
• One biological or adoptive parent is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.
• One biological or adoptive parent is authorized to work or study in Canada, including certain temporary residents authorized to work or study without a permit.
• Neither parent is physically in Canada.

A minor child of a visitor who is not authorized to work or study in Canada requires a study permit to study in Canada.

Rules for minor children applying from overseas

Minor children applying from outside Canada should normally obtain approval for a study permit before travelling to Canada.

IRCC says the child should have a letter of introduction showing approval in writing from a visa office or qualify to apply for a permit at the port of entry under the applicable regulations.

The overseas application guidance is important for families who may assume that a child automatically receives the same study authorization as a parent.

The parent’s work or study authorization does not, by itself, remove the need for the child to apply for a permit before entering Canada when the child is applying from outside Canada.

What can happen at a Canadian port of entry

A minor child arriving to study should have applied for a study permit before travelling or be legally entitled to apply at the port of entry.

If the child has not done so, an officer may authorize entry as a temporary resident in the visitor class when the requirements are met.

IRCC gives the example of an accompanying parent who is permitted to work or study in Canada.

The child must also not be otherwise inadmissible.

In such cases, the child should be documented on a visitor record.

This port-of-entry possibility is discretionary and should not be treated as a guaranteed alternative to applying for a permit before travel.

When the child stops being considered a minor, an application for a study permit must be submitted if the child wants to continue studying.

Custodianship rules for minor students

IRCC instructs officers to use the term “custodianship” rather than “guardianship” for study permit applications.

Custodianship concerns arrangements for the care and support of a minor student in Canada.

Guardianship refers to an individual who has been legally appointed to manage a person’s affairs, which is a different legal concept.

Officers must be satisfied that adequate care and support arrangements are in place because a foreign national may be inadmissible for financial reasons if they cannot support themselves.

The standard custodianship declaration is completed by the parent or legal guardian and the custodian in Canada when the requirement applies.

When a custodian is mandatory

A custodian in Canada continues to be required when the applicant is less than 17 years of age at the time of application, unless the child is accompanied for the duration of the studies by at least one parent.

The applicant must provide a notarized declaration signed by the parent or legal guardian in the country of origin and a declaration signed by the custodian in Canada.

The declarations must state that arrangements have been made for the custodian to act in place of a parent.

The parent or legal guardian and the appointed custodian must acknowledge that the custodian will live within a reasonable distance of the child’s intended residence and school.

The custodianship declaration should include the information and signatures of both parents where applicable.

When custodianship may be discretionary for older minors

Applications from minors aged 17 until the applicable provincial or territorial age of majority are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

For these applicants, officers may use discretion when deciding whether to request a custodian, additional documents or an interview.

The applicable age of majority is 18 in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan.

The age of majority is 19 in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon.

IRCC says officers should assess whether the applicant can provide care and support for themselves in Canada.

Relevant factors include the applicant’s level of study, independence, financial capacity, travel experience and access to parents or legal guardians.

Officers may also consider informal support arrangements and risks connected with irregular child migration, exploitation or trafficking.

IRCC states that students attending secondary school would normally require a custodian, although the overall assessment remains case-specific for applicants in the discretionary age group.

Children travelling with only one parent

A custodianship declaration is not required when a minor child is accompanied for the duration of the studies by at least one parent.

However, when the child is accompanied by only one parent, officers are instructed to request a signed Parent Consent Letter or Travel Authorization Form from the non-accompanying parent if it was not provided.

Families should therefore prepare documentation addressing the non-accompanying parent’s consent before submitting or finalizing the application.

The updated guidance does not state that every one-parent travel case will be refused without this document.

It directs officers to request the document when it has not been provided.

GCMS recording requirements for custodians and parents

Officers must check whether a Party ID already exists for the custodian.

If no Party ID exists, the officer must enter the custodian’s information from the IMM 5646 form in the GCMS Party ID tab.

IRCC says this is mandatory so that the responsible custodian can be recorded and linked to the client file if the information is needed.

Officers must also enter parent information in the Party ID tab to record and link accompanying parents in the file.

Other factors officers must review

When assessing an in-Canada application or extension involving a minor child, officers should ensure that arrangements have been made for the child’s care.

Officers should also review health coverage, evidence of funds to cover the child’s stay and academic progress where applicable.

Academic progress is not required in the same way when the minor child is the dependant of a worker or student in Canada, according to the guidance.

A minor child studying in Canada without a study permit under the applicable exemption may apply for a study permit from inside Canada.

The child must provide proof of academic status, such as a letter confirming enrolment, and proof of the parent’s status in Canada where applicable.

When extending their stay, the child may apply to extend a study permit if one is required or extend temporary resident status if the exemption continues to authorize study without a permit.

A minor child who has applied to restore status may continue studying while the restoration application is being processed under the cited exemption.

IRCC also notes that minor children must submit a letter of acceptance when applying to extend a study permit.

What families should review before applying

1. Confirm whether the child is applying from overseas, at a port of entry or from inside Canada.
2. Check the child’s age at the time of application and the age of majority in the intended province or territory.
3. Determine whether a custodianship declaration is mandatory, potentially discretionary or not required because a parent will accompany the child throughout the studies.
4. Prepare the IMM 5646 declaration when custodianship applies.
5. Obtain a signed Parent Consent Letter or Travel Authorization Form when the child will travel with only one parent.
6. Gather evidence of enrolment, funds, health coverage and the parent’s Canadian status where relevant.

The updated IRCC guidance is intended to support officer decision-making and does not replace the need to meet the requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Fact-Checked: Verified against IRCC’s September 22, 2026 program delivery update and the linked official guidelines for minor children and study permits.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and does not replace individualized advice or instructions from IRCC.