Pre-school Fees for Kids coming to Canada

Elementary and Secondary School
1

I am coming to Canada on a Work Permit along with my wife and my son.

My wife has a visitor’s visa whereas my son has got Student Visa. My son is 4 years old and should be eligible to go to pre-school.

I just wanted to confirm following things

  • I understand that schools in Canada begin from the month of September. However we would be shifting in the month of October. Will there be any issue in getting admission in the middle of the year?

  • What are fees for the pre-schools in Canada for the students coming along with parents with Work Permit and are not residents?

2

Hello,

Thanks for sharing your question with us. It is great that you are looking into this type of information before your arrival.

According to one of our Education Experts, it is possible to start school in the middle of the school year or semester.

Students can start school at any time but starting in the middle of the school year or semester might make it difficult to get credits for the courses he or she is studying. In terms of credits, they generally apply more to higher grades like middle or high school grades.

Again, it is possible to start school in the middle of the school year or semester.

Since your children are in elementary school, in terms of extra work or homework, it may be something that you may want to discuss with your children’s teachers once they are enrolled and begin attending school. It may help to have a discussion with them to find out if and what is needed for your children to catch up.

You can find some additional information regarding enrolling children in school here:

How do I enrol my child in school?

Regarding the fees, you will have to contact the schools directly for some information specific to your situation.

I hope this information is helpful. Please let us know if you have further questions and if there is any follow up to your question/situation.

=====
Anna
Settlement.Org Content and Information/Referral Specialist, CCRS, CCRS-DC
Settlement.Org

3

I am coming to Canada a study English and after studying English I enter to study a diploma. I coming along with my wife and my children. My daughter is in secondary and my boy is 4 years. I would like to know if they can attend a public school.

4

Hello There,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us.

In Ontario, children aged 6 - 18 must attend school. You may find the Settlement.org article, At what age do children attend school? Useful.

Here is an excerpt:

Since your youngest child is 4 years old, they are eligible for Kindergarten. You can find some additional information regarding enrolling children in school here: How do I enrol my child in school?

You may also find the resources, The Newcomer’s Guide to Elementary School in Ontario and The Newcomer’s Guide to Secondary School in Ontario useful.

If you would like more information about ESL (English as a Second Language) for Adults, you can find it here.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here:

https://discuss.settlement.org/default.aspx

We hope this information is helpful.

Settlement.Org Team

5

Hi,

I and my family will be immigrating to Canada by March and we are planning to settle in Oshawa. My son will be 5 years old by the time we arrive, I want to find out if it would be possible for him to join the Kindergarten once we arrive or if he has to wait to join the September in take.if he has to wait till September, what options do i have for childcare?

6

Hello,

Thank you for sharing your question and situation on our forum.

In regards to your question, you may find useful information in:

How do I enrol my child in school?

https://settlement.org/ontario/education/elementary-and-secondary-school/enrol-your-child-in-school/how-do-i-enrol-my-child-in-school/

What Kinds of Child Care are Available in Ontario?

https://settlement.org/ontario/daily-life/families-children/child-care/what-kinds-of-child-care-are-available-in-ontario/

We hope you find this information useful.

Thank you

7

Hi,

I am my family will be migrating to Toronto, Canada from USA in 1st week of Feb, 2020. We plan to live in downtown area only. Would like to have info about school enrollment for second grader.

  1. Any link of list of schools
  2. Process for enrollment
  3. Mandatory documents.
  4. My son is in 2nd grade in USA. Will he be enrolled in 2nd grade during mid term or any other process?

Regards,
Harsh

8

Hello There,

Thank you for sharing your question with us, we appreciate your interest in this type of information.

You may be interested in learning more about your child’s schooling options by reading this Settlement.Org article.

Ontario has 4 public schooling systems, English Public schools, English Catholic schools, French-language Public schools, and French-language Catholic schools.

In terms of enrolment, Here is an excerpt from the article How do I enrol my child in school?:

You may also want to contact the school board directly to ask questions about their process for enrolment.

To contact the Toronto District School Board, you can use their contact form or call 416-397-3000.

To contact the Toronto Catholic District School Board, you can call 416-222-8282 or e-mail webmaster@tcdsb.org.

To contact Conseil Scolaire Viamonde, you can use their contact form or call 905 732-4280.

To contact Center-Sud Catholic District School Board, you can call 1 800 274-3764 or e-mail comments@cscmonavenir.ca

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here.

We hope this information is helpful.

Settlement.Org Team

9

Hi,

I have been awarded a scholarship at Western University to pursue a Doctoral Degree in Sociology.

I am a single mother and I am going to be living with my 9 year old son.
I am going to live in London and I have some doubts about public schools.

  1. does my son need a study permit?

  2. do I need to pay tuition and fees, even though I have a study permit to attend Western University?

thank you in advance for your assistance.

10

Hello,

Thank you for sharing your situation and question with us. We can appreciate that you would be concerned about this situation.

  1. Study Permit
    If you are currently in Canada with your son, you will not be required to apply for a study permit. According to the IRCC website, minor children who are “already in Canada with a parent who has a work or study permit” may study at pre-school, primary school, or secondary school without a study permit. A minor child is someone who has not reached the age of the majority. In the Province of Ontario, anyone 18 and under would be considered a minor. Since you have obtained a study permit and your son is 9 years old, the requirements are met.

If you and your son are currently outside of Canada, you must apply for a study permit. Since you have already received a study permit, you will not be required “to provide a letter of acceptance from a school” when applying. To apply for a study permit for your son, you can follow this link which provides step-by-step information on the application process.

  1. Tuition Fees
    If you are inquiring about the tuition fee for yourself, then you must contact the financial aid office at Western University to discuss your particular situation (namely, whether the scholarship will cover your entire fee or not). A study permit does not waive tuition fees as it is a document that allows you to stay in Canada for the duration of your program plus an extra 90 days.

If you are inquiring for your son, then it is important to know that you will not be required to pay any fees for your son to attend a publicly funded school in Ontario. However, if you were to choose to send your son to a private school, then you will be required to pay fees. If you are interested in learning more about private elementary schools for your son, you can follow this link that provides up-dated information by the Ontario Ministry of Education.

  1. Helpful Information
    The Settlement.Org website provides documents in various languages explaining general information about the Ontario public education system and more specific details about how it works and who is involved. You can follow the website here to find helpful information that may answer some of your doubts about the public school system.

Further, due to COVID-19, not all designated learning institutions have reopened to international students. If there is a specific school you have in mind, you can receive the most updated information from the drop-down selection at the end of this webpage.

You may wish to consult a reputable and registered immigration consultant or an immigration lawyer who is familiar with Canadian immigration issues for advice on your situation before you start any application processes for your child.

We hope this information is helpful.

Sincerely,

Your Settlement.Org team

This document does not contain legal advice.
This document was prepared with the assistance of PBSC Western University law student volunteers. PBSC volunteers are not lawyers and they are not authorized to provide legal advice. This document contains general discussion of certain legal and related issues only. If you require legal advice, please consult with a lawyer.

11

Hi, There!

Good morning. Please, I’m from Mexico, and my child is 2 years and 3 months old. I really would like her to start her junior kindergarten school in Canada. Is that possible?

Thanks you in advance for your guide.

Regards,

Adewale David

12

Hello there,
I was seeking someone who had the same approach as me and I saw your comment. Is it possible for you to help me with some information? I plan to come to Canada with admission from the English language institute and after passing their exams I want to attend a college diploma. I have some questions about applying for the college and the best time to arrive in Canada. If you are reading this text please let me know to get more information from you. Thanks a lot.