First Things First...
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You don't need to get accepted into a school before you come here!
Documents
There are some legal documents that you are required to have before attending school in Quebec. Here, I have listed 1-3 documents that you might need.
1 / CAQ (Québec Acceptance Certificate)
The CAQ is given by Immigration Quebec, and it allows you to study in Quebec as an international student. HOWEVER, if you are coming with parents, you USUALLY do NOT need a CAQ
YOU NEED THIS IF:
Your last CAQ has expired.
AND
You will be paying international student fees (at a cegep). In other words, You are no longer a dependent minor (you are older than 22 OR your parents no longer hold a work/study permit).
If your parents are studying here, they can follow the CAQ process for international students. In the CAQ application, they can declare that you are accompanying them.
2 / Study Permit
Study Permit allows you to study in Canada. It is given by the Government of Canada – more specifically, the IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada).
YOU NEED THIS document to get your visa.
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SINCE YOU ARE a dependent minor, your application will be completed by your parents.
Steps to apply (for your parents):
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*If your parents are studying here, they can follow the CAQ process for international students. In the questionnaire in step 2, they can declare that you are accompanying them.
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1.
Log in to https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/account.html
Begin the application.
2.
You will receive a list of documents that you need. Complete them and submit them. Your parents will be able to apply for both you and them. (how?)
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4.
Check your application status by logging in to your IRCC account. It should show that you and your parent have both submitted the application.
3 / C o E (Certificate of Eligibility for English Instruction)
Normally, students newly arriving to Quebec has to attend French high schools (because of the language law -- Bill 101). However, if you obtain Eligibility, you can attend a English high school.
YOU NEED THIS IF: You want to attend an English secondary school in Quebec.
*If you are in cegep, you may need this to be exempt from French exams, but keep checking Bill 96! If you're in univeristy, you don't need this.
Click here to apply:
https://www.emsb.qc.ca/emsb/admissions/eligibility
https://www.lbpsb.qc.ca/admissions/
https://www.swlauriersb.qc.ca/en/parents/admission-and-registration/eligibility-bill-101-criteria/
https://www.nfsb.qc.ca/eligibility/
https://www.rsb.qc.ca/eligibility-for-english-instruction/
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USUALLY:
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You need to book an appointment with the Law 101 Office at your school board. You can find the details on the school board website. (I’m at the EMSB, and the appointment didn’t take very long! My custodian and I had to fill in a form, and that was it.)
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Bring necessary documents. The list varies according to your parents’ status. For me – I just bought all the documents my parents and I used to apply to our CAQ and study permits.
Congrats! Once you get these documents, you’re all set for the new school year.
However, if you don’t get the documents when school starts, don’t worry! There are still some things you can do:
1. If you haven’t left Canada AND nothing changed in your application (e.g. you didn’t change schools, you are still studying / working, etc.), you are allowed to stay in Canada while your application is being processed. This is called the maintained status.
2. From what I’ve known, as long as you show the school that you have started your application and you are waiting for a result, they will usually let you continue studying. This is NOT guaranteed though!
3. Don't be afraid to COMPLAIN! Talk to your international student advisor, talk to community centers, talk to other international students. You can also call the IRCC. If nothing works – complain to your local MP.
The application can be somewhat frustrating, but have patience! Good luck.
Author: Shupeng Liu.
Last updated: March 26 2023
Useful Links / References:
https://www.mcgill.ca/internationalstudents/immigration-documents/renewing-documents
^ How to renew your immigration documents. For McGill students.