Is Public School Free for My Kids While I Study in Canada?

Short answer: conditionally, yes. Tuition exemption for your children is not an IRCC decision — it is set by provincial school funding rules. In British Columbia the parent's permit must run one year or more, and a studying parent must be enrolled in a degree or diploma program at a public post-secondary institution, or a degree program at a private one. A working parent must work at least 20 hours a week.

When the exemption does not apply (BC)

• Diplomas and certificates at private colleges. BC's rule recognises only degree programs at private institutions. A private-college HCA or business diploma does not make your children fee-exempt. This is the most commonly missed line in the policy.
• ESL beyond one year. ESL counts only at an EQA-designated institution for up to a year: "Beyond one year, children of an ESL student will be considered international students and districts may charge international student fees." The ESL acceptance must also be contingent on acceptance into a degree or diploma program.
• Permits shorter than one year.
• Fewer than 20 hours a week on the work route.
• Coming primarily so the children can attend school. The policy says so directly: it "is not intended to enable a person whose primary purpose for coming to British Columbia is to attend a public school and who would normally be charged tuition fees to avoid paying those fees."

Two separate questions people merge

1. Does the child need a study permit?

That is IRCC's question, and the answer depends on whether the child is entering Canada or already here.

IRCC: "Minor children who want to study in Canada must apply for a study permit before they enter Canada." A minor without a study permit must hold valid visitor status.

2. Is tuition charged?

That is provincial. IRCC states that "each province and territory runs its own school system … Canada doesn't have a federal department or national system of education," and frames its own table as something school authorities "may also use … to help determine when school fees apply."

BC's rule, quoted

From the Ministry of Education and Child Care policy Eligibility of Students for Operating Grant Funding:

Has been lawfully admitted to Canada for temporary residence and is authorised to work for a period of one year or more, and is or will be employed for at least 20 hours per week

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Has been lawfully admitted to Canada and is authorised to study for a period of one year or more, and is enrolled in a degree or diploma programme at a public post-secondary institution in British Columbia or in a degree programme at a private post-secondary institution in British Columbia

On fees: "boards should not charge tuition fees for these students." The policy also notes that immigration status "is relevant but does not determine ordinary residence."

Districts differ — and here is only what we verified

North Vancouver's 25 hours is the point of this table. The province says 20; that district publishes 25. Do not memorise a number — get your own district's criteria in writing before you commit.

Ontario puts it in statute

• s.49(6): boards must charge the maximum fee to a temporary resident or study permit holder they admit.
• s.49(7)(e): no fee where the parent is in Canada under a work permit (including while an application is pending), or is authorised to study and is a full-time student at a university, college or institution in Ontario that receives operating grants from the Government of Ontario.
• s.49.1: no one under 18 may be refused admission because they or their parent are unlawfully in Canada.

Note the same trap — the institution must receive provincial operating grants, so private institutions fall outside it.

Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba

We were not able to read official pages for these provinces. We do not publish what we have not read, so treat these as unverified here.

Get these in writing before you enrol

1. The district's funding eligibility criteria document — is the hours threshold 20 or 25?
2. A school letter stating whether the parent's program is a degree or a diploma, and whether the institution is public or private
3. Documentation that the permit runs one year or more
4. The international student tuition figure, in case the exemption does not apply

See conditional admission for starting with ESL, and study agency fees for where school recommendations come from.

FAQ

What if I study a diploma at a private college? In BC that does not qualify — private institutions count only for degree programs. Confirm the international student fee before enrolling.

What if I start with ESL? ESL at an EQA-designated institution counts for up to one year. Past that, children may be classified as international students. The ESL acceptance must also be contingent on acceptance into a degree or diploma program.

Should I get a study permit for my child anyway? It is not required if you are already in Canada, but IRCC recommends it. If the child is entering Canada with you, it is required.

Official sources

• IRCC — Minor children studying in Canada
• IRCC — Study without a study permit
• IRCC — Education in Canada is provincial
• BC Ministry of Education — Eligibility of Students for Operating Grant Funding
• Vancouver School Board — documentation and eligibility
• Burnaby Schools — temporary residents living in BC
• Langley School District — newcomers registration
• North Vancouver School District — required documents
• Ontario Education Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E.2, s.49