Dhiraj Kandel
Managing DirectorSchedule a free consultation with our expert counselors to discuss your study
The essentials at a glance
Yes, your spouse and children can join you on a Canada student visa from Nepal. Your spouse can get an open work permit only if you study a master's of 16 months or more, a PhD or certain professional programs. The full rules are below.
Main points from this page
Many Nepali students plan to study in Canada with their husband, wife or children. Canada allows this, but what your family can do there depends on your program.
This guide explains who can come with you, when your spouse can work, how your children can go to school, and what to prepare. It reflects IRCC rules as of September 2026.
Yes. Your spouse or common-law partner and your dependent children can apply to come with you. Each family member needs their own application, such as a visitor visa, a work permit or a study permit.
Since 21 January 2025, your spouse can get an open work permit only if you study a master’s program of 16 months or longer, a doctoral program, or certain professional programs. Spouses of diploma, bachelor’s and shorter master’s students no longer qualify.
The work permit is normally valid for as long as your study permit. IRCC lists the eligible professional programs on its spouse work permit page.
Your spouse can still come as a visitor, but cannot work without a separate work permit. They could apply for an employer-specific work permit or for their own study permit.
Yes. Minor children can attend preschool, primary or secondary school without a study permit if a parent is authorized to study or work in Canada. They still need valid visitor status, which means a visitor visa or an eTA.
Dependent children of students no longer qualify for open work permits, following the January 2025 changes.
Yes, but your spouse needs their own study permit for any program longer than six months. Short courses of six months or less do not need a study permit.
You must show CAD 23,448 for yourself, plus a set amount for each family member who comes with you. This is on top of your first-year tuition and travel. The full family table is on our Canada student visa requirements page, and the Canada cost guide covers the rest.
Each family member needs a valid passport and proof of your relationship. IRCC may also ask for medical exams, police certificates and biometrics.
It can. The visa officer checks that you will leave Canada when your status ends, and family plans are part of that picture. Explain your family’s plans clearly in your statement of purpose and keep every document consistent.
Last updated: 27 September 2026. Rules checked on canada.ca: spouse open work permits and studying in Canada as a minor.
The biggest change of the January 2025 update is that SOWPs are no longer available to spouses of all international students. Before this change, spouses of students in most post-secondary programs could qualify for an open work permit. However, only the spouses of students enrolled in master’s, doctoral, specific professional degree, or IRCC-approved pilot programs are now granted the SOWP under the revised rules.
The update focuses on targeted restrictions on SOWPs rather than eliminating spousal visas.
Under the new rules, the international student and the spouse have different eligibility criteria and are assessed separately. A spouse visa with SOWP is only issued if both criteria are fulfilled.
Meeting these conditions does not guarantee a visa; it simply means you are eligible. The IRCC may still refuse a spouse visa even when eligibility conditions are met and documentation is complete, based on admissibility, credibility, or assessment at the time of decision.
A spouse can qualify for a spousal visa if the student is actively enrolled full-time in a Master’s, Doctoral (PhD), or one of the following study programs:
Under the current rules, the following international student categories are excluded from SOWP eligibility:
This exclusion applies only to spousal work authorization. Their spouses may still apply to enter Canada as visitors, but they do not qualify for an open work permit under the student spouse category.
If a spouse is no longer eligible for a spouse open work permit (SOWP) under the current rules, there are limited, lawful alternatives depending on individual circumstances:
Planning to study in Canada with your spouse? Speak with a trusted immigration consultancy to understand how the new SOWP rules apply to your case.
Yes, a spouse may apply for an SOWP before the student travels to Canada if the student already holds a valid study permit and meets the eligible program criteria at the time of application.
No, the January 2025 rule change does not cancel existing SOWPs. Existing permit holders may continue working until their permit expires, though extensions or future applications will be assessed under the new eligibility rules in effect at the time of application.
In most cases, no. Students enrolled in diploma, certificate, or general bachelor’s programs can no longer sponsor a spouse for an SOWP unless the program is listed as an eligible professional program under IRCC rules.
Yes, SOWP refusals are more common, but only for applications linked to non-eligible study programs.
A visiting spouse in Canada may apply for an SOWP only if the student meets the current program eligibility requirements at the time of application. Visitor status alone is not enough for work authorization.
Yes, dependent children under the age of 22 at the time of application can still come to Canada if they are unmarried and have no common-law partner. The new rule primarily affects spousal work authorization and does not remove the option for children to accompany eligible students or spouses.
A spouse holding a valid SOWP may work for most employers in Canada.
Dependent visa holders with an SOWP cannot work for employers listed as non-compliant or for businesses operating in adult service sectors. These restrictions apply to all open work permits regardless of occupation or location.
Important guidance note
This page provides general guidance about studying abroad. Requirements, fees and policies can change. For advice about your situation, speak with a Goreto counsellor before applying.
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