Can a Pakistani Child Study in Canada? Study Permit for Minors and the Custodian Declaration (2026)

Who counts as a minor, and does the child need a study permit?

A minor child is a person under the age of majority, which is 18 in Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan and 19 in British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut and Yukon, according to IRCC. So a 17 year old in Ontario is still a minor, and an 18 year old in British Columbia is too. That detail matters because the rules about care and the custodian run until the student reaches the age of majority in the province where they study.

Most foreign children need a study permit to attend primary or secondary school. Minors do not need a study permit for programs of 6 months or less, but they must apply before entering Canada for programs of 6 months or more, according to IRCC. For Pakistani families the practical answer is simple. If your child will attend a full school year in Canada, plan on a study permit and apply from Pakistan before travel.

When is a permit not required?

IRCC lists cases where a child at school level does not need a study permit: Canadian citizens, permanent residents, refugees and refugee claimants, children of Canadian citizens or permanent residents who accompany them, and a few others. A foreign child with a parent who holds only visitor status, or a child with a parent on a study or work permit, or a child with no parent in Canada, falls on the required side. If you are unsure which category your family is in, read the IRCC page for minor children before you pay anything.

Does a child need a custodian in Canada?

If the child is not coming with a parent or legal guardian, usually yes. IRCC says children under 17 must travel with a parent or legal guardian or have a custodian in Canada, while the application guide words it as children 17 years of age or less, so a 17 year old should plan for a custodian anyway. A custodian is not a tour guide. It is a legal arrangement in which a responsible adult in Canada takes over day to day care and support while the parents are abroad.

For minors of 17 up to the age of majority, IRCC treats a custodian as something an officer may ask for case by case. That means a 17 year old applying without one is not automatically refused, but the application is stronger with a clear plan. A boarding school can sometimes provide a guardianship arrangement. Check what the school will put on paper.

What if one parent travels with the child?

If a parent or authorized guardian travels with the child, a custodian is not mandatory. The application guide adds that a signed consent from the non-accompanying parent should be provided. If the parents are separated, and a custody order exists, proof of custody and the other parent's consent are needed. Do not leave a parent's signature out because you expect no objection. Officers read the file, not the family.

What is the Custodianship Declaration, IMM 5646?

It is a two page form. One page is the custodian's sworn declaration, and the other is the parents' grant of custodianship. Page 1 of Form IMM 5646 is signed by the custodian and notarized in Canada, and page 2 is signed by the parents or legal guardians and notarized in their home country, as IRCC explains. A notary public applies a seal to each page. Send both pages with the study permit application.

The form asks for the student's full name, citizenship, date of birth, sex, the school's name and address, and where the student will live in Canada. It asks for the parents' names, dates of birth, home address and telephone number, and the custodian's name, status in Canada, date of birth, address and phone number. On the parents' page you also state where the child will live: with the custodian, in the school dormitory, or with another named person and their relationship.

What does the custodian promise?

The form says the custodian acts for the whole period of the student's stay while the student is under the age of majority in the province, makes arrangements for care and support in place of the parents, and can fulfil custodial obligations in an emergency. That last point deserves attention. If the child falls ill at midnight, this adult is the one who answers the phone.

Where do Pakistani parents get their page notarized?

The parents' page is notarized in their home country. In Pakistan that means a notary public. Take your CNICs and the child's B-form or passport, and read the text on the form before signing. Our guide to apostille and attestation of Pakistani documents explains when extra legalisation is needed. The IRCC pages we read ask for notarization on this form, not for apostille, so confirm with the visa office instructions before paying for steps you may not need.

How do you choose a custodian?

A custodian is a responsible adult who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and the custodianship declaration form describes a custodian over 19 years of age who lives within a reasonable distance of the student and school. The two IRCC sources phrase the age slightly differently, so choose someone who is clearly older than 19, not someone who has just turned it.

• Someone who lives close enough to reach the school quickly.
• An adult you trust to act in an emergency and to answer school calls.
• A person with a stable address, because the form records it.
• Anyone who understands they are accepting responsibility until the student reaches the age of majority.

Many Pakistani families use an uncle, aunt or family friend with Canadian status. Some schools offer a homestay and guardian arrangement. If the custodian is a relative, add a letter explaining the relationship. If the school provides the custodian, ask what happens if the arrangement ends mid year.

Can the custodian be a stranger arranged by an agency?

The form does not forbid it, but it makes sense only if the arrangement is real and documented. The notary must receive evidence of the custodian's status, age and residence. The agency must give you that evidence, in writing, for the notary visit. Ask for the name of the person, not only the company, before you commit.

Does a school student need a provincial attestation letter?

IRCC lists preschool, primary school including kindergarten, and secondary school up to grade 12 among the study levels that do not need a provincial attestation letter, but you must still provide proof of the exemption. That is a relief for families, because the PAL process is tied to the provincial cap for post-secondary students. If you are exempt but do not submit a PAL, you still provide proof of the exemption with your application, which for a school student is the school's letter of acceptance showing the level of study. Our guide to the provincial attestation letter covers the cap rules for older students in detail.

Which documents go with the application?

The letter of acceptance must come from a designated learning institution on official letterhead and show the exact tuition amount, the start and end dates and the registration deadline, according to the IRCC application guide. For a school student, ask the school to make sure the letter shows the grade or program as well. The passport is the main identity document, and IRCC lists a birth certificate or other documents depending on status.

Our guide on letter of acceptance verification explains how to check that a school is real and that the letter is genuine, which matters even more when a child is involved.

• Child's passport, valid for the planned stay.
• Letter of acceptance from the school.
• Notarized Custodianship Declaration, both pages, if a custodian is needed.
• Letter of permission from one or both parents, and proof of custody if an order exists.
• Proof of funds for the first year.
• Photographs and biometrics as the application instructs.

The IRCC page does not list a separate parental consent letter, because the declaration carries the parents' signatures. Even so, the application guide mentions a letter of permission from one or both parents for a child travelling alone. A short, signed letter does no harm.

How much money must be shown?

As of 12 October 2026, IRCC proof of financial support sets living expenses for one person at CAD 23,448 a year for applications made on or after 1 September 2026 outside Quebec, not counting tuition or transport. The IRCC page counts accompanying children as family members in its table, and it does not give a separate school-student figure. A child studying alone is one person, so the living expenses figure for one applies, plus tuition and transport.

The same IRCC page shows CAD 22,895 for one person for applications made from 1 January 2025 to 31 August 2026. If your application date was earlier, the earlier figure applied, but any new application today uses the new one. Tuition is not given as a fixed amount. The school letter shows it, and you add it on top. If your studies last more than a year you must show financial support for the first year, as the application guide and the proof of funds page both explain.

Where does the money come from?

Typically the parents' bank statements, a fixed deposit, or a sponsor letter with the sponsor's statements. For a minor the parents are the natural source. Keep the statements clean, explain large recent deposits, and match the names to the CNICs. Our note on how much bank statement is needed for a Canada student visa explains presentation.

We do not give a figure for school tuition here. Public school fees for international students differ by province and board, and private schools differ again. Use the number on your offer letter.

What does the application cost?

As of 12 October 2026, the IRCC study permit page lists the application fee as CAD 150, and the IRCC application guide repeats CAD 150 per person and says fees are not refunded whatever the decision. Biometrics have their own fee on the IRCC fee list, and the study permit page itself does not show it, so check the list on the day you apply. Our guide to biometrics for a Canada study permit from Pakistan explains the appointment and the timing.

Budget separately for notary fees in Pakistan and in Canada, courier costs for the originals, translation if any document is not in English or French, flights, health insurance, uniform and school supplies. These small items add up, and they are paid before the school year starts.

What if a parent also goes to Canada?

A minor coming with a parent who is applying for a study or work permit must apply for their own study permit before entering Canada. For that application, a letter of acceptance is not required, according to IRCC. If the child is already in Canada with a family member whose permit was approved before they entered, a letter of acceptance is required.

Children may attend school in Canada, and their study permit applications are submitted at the same time as the parent's, or before they travel if they join later. A parent's own route, such as a study permit for postgraduate study with a spouse permit, is a separate topic. Our guide to the study permit timeline from Pakistan helps you plan how long each application takes.

What are the steps, in order?

1. Choose the school and the province, and confirm the age of majority there.
2. Secure an offer and the letter of acceptance.
3. Decide who the custodian is, if one is needed, and confirm they agree.
4. Prepare IMM 5646: the custodian signs and notarizes page 1 in Canada, and the parents sign and notarize page 2 in Pakistan.
5. Collect passport copies, birth documents and proof of funds.
6. Complete the study permit application and pay the fee.
7. Give biometrics when instructed.
8. Wait for a decision, then arrange travel and arrival support.

The order matters mostly for the form. The custodian's page and the parents' page are signed in different countries, so courier the forms early. A lost envelope can cost a week.

Which arrangement fits your family?

The dormitory row deserves a sentence. The parents' page of the form allows you to name the school dormitory as where the child lives, but the custodian is still the person who covers emergencies and holidays. A boarding school does not remove the need for one.

Which mistakes cause delays or refusals?

• Unsigned or un-notarized pages. Both pages need a notary's seal.
• A custodian who does not meet the status rules. Citizen or permanent resident only.
• A custodian who lives far from the school. The form expects a reasonable distance.
• Using the wrong age of majority. It differs between provinces.
• Missing consent from a non-travelling parent. Include it, with custody proof if relevant.
• Funds that do not match the numbers. Tuition plus living costs plus travel.
• Relying on an agent for a custodian you never met. Know who the person is.
• Applying too late. The school year does not wait for notaries.

Most of these are paperwork problems that can be solved in advance. None of them need luck, only time and attention.

A worked example

Take a 15 year old girl from Lahore who has an offer for grade 10 at a school in Ontario, where the age of majority is 18. Her mother's brother is a permanent resident living 20 minutes from the school. He agrees to be her custodian. Because she is under 17 and not travelling with a parent, she needs the custodianship form.

Her uncle signs page 1 before a notary in Ontario and couriers it to Lahore. Her parents sign page 2 before a notary in Lahore, naming their brother as custodian and stating that she will live with him. They add a short letter of permission, a copy of her passport and B-form, the school letter of acceptance, and bank statements covering the school fees and living costs. Because school study is exempt, no provincial attestation letter is needed, so they attach the school's letter as proof of the level of study. They apply online, pay CAD 150 as of 12 October 2026, and give biometrics when asked.

Her custodianship runs until she turns 18 in Ontario. After that the form no longer applies, though she may still need to extend her permit. Nothing here is a promise of outcome. It shows how the pieces fit.

Frequently asked questions