As an international family, you have to do more than purchase a uniform and school supplies. You need to navigate the Canadian study permit or visa process. We're here to point you in the right direction.
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Study Permits
Most foreign nationals require a study permit to study in Canada. A study permit is not a valid travel document.
When you enroll at Ridley College, the Admissions department will provide you with a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) to support your application for your study permit.
Learn more and begin the application process today!
The study permit application process can be complex and lengthy. View the processing times for study permits on the Government of Canada website.
Update: On January 22nd, 2024, Canada's federal government introduced new study permit regulations. These new regulations do not apply to K-12 schools such as Ridley College. There is no "cap" on study permits for students studying at the elementary or secondary level in Canada. Students applying to K-12 schools do not require Provincial Attestation Letters. (Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit/get-documents.html#attestation)
Visas
Foreign nationals need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada. Investigate which documents you'll need to enter Canada before you arrive in September.
The visa application process can be complex and lengthy. View the processing times for visas on the Government of Canada website.
Update: On February 29th, the Canadian government announced the following changes to the visa requirements for Mexican citizens.
In the past, Mexican passport holders have been able to travel to Canada with an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). Now, most Mexican passport holders require a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to travel to Canada.
All eTAs issued to Mexican passports before 11:30p.m. Eastern time on February 29th, 2024, will no longer be valid. As such, if you plan to accompany your child to Ridley in September, you should apply for a TRV as soon as possible. Your child will be issued a TRV when their study permit is approved. Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada has now issued this helpful guide on the new regulations.
Custodians
International students whose primary residence is outside of North America must have a custodian who holds Canadian Citizenship or Permanent Residency. An international family may identify their own custodian who is an English-speaking Permanent Resident or citizen of Canada and over the age of 21. A custodian must be a responsible adult who will care for and support the child.
IRCC requires all international students who are minors (under 18) living in Canada to have a custodian.
In Ontario, a child ceases to be a minor at the age of 18. If a Ridley College student turns 18 before the start of the school year (September 3rd, 2023), they may waive the custodianship requirement, per IRCC guidelines. If a student is 17 at the start of the school year, we require that their custodianship remain active for the duration of the school year.
We recommend that all students whose parents do not live in Canada have a local custodian in case of emergency, regardless of age or citizenship.
Families who do not have a custodian may wish to use a third-party consultant to provide custodianship. Along with several other independent schools in Ontario, Ridley College works with International Student Guardianship Canada (ISGC) to ensure students are safe and well cared for during their time at the school.
All students must submit Ridley’s Custodian Information Form and the IMM 5646 Custodianship Declaration Form to Admissions before arriving on campus in September. Please email these documents to [email protected].
Expiring Documents
It is the responsibility of each student and their parents to ensure that the student’s immigration documents remain valid. 90 days before your child’s study permit and/or TRV expires, Ridley will issue a reminder and new LOA to support the extension application.
You can learn more about study permit extensions on the Government of Canada website.
Crossing the Border
Before attempting to cross the Canadian border, please ensure you have all required documents ready for a Canadian Customs Officer to review.
- Valid study permit or IRCC Letter of Introduction;
- Valid Temporary Visitor Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)*;
- Custodian Declaration (pages 1 & 2, with a current date);
- Guardian/custodian contact information;
- Report cards (if available);
- Ridley College tuition receipts;
- Ridley College Letter of Acceptance;
- Ridley College enrollment letter (Offer of Admission letter).
*Please note some countries are visa-exempt and will not require this
Immigration Support
Immigration consulting is a highly regulated industry in Canada. Only Registered Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) or Lawyers can provide immigration support.
