US Citizen - Study in Canada School - Need Permit? (school districts, living) - City-Data Forum

rreword · 03-08-2010, 03:38 PM

Hi,

We are moving to Canada on Work Visa from USA. We don't have GreenCard here in USA. We were on work visa in US. But our kids are born here in US and they are US citizens.

Do they need any kind of study permit or student visa to get into Elementary School in Canada?

My older one is in 1st grade and youngest in pre-school. Do they need any kind of documentation from their current school to get admission into Canadian school?

Thanks in Advance,
Rwe

rreword · 03-10-2010, 08:04 AM

Anyone??? Any reply Please?

sunshineleith · 03-10-2010, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rreword

Hi,

We are moving to Canada on Work Visa from USA. We don't have GreenCard here in USA. We were on work visa in US. But our kids are born here in US and they are US citizens.

Do they need any kind of study permit or student visa to get into Elementary School in Canada?

My older one is in 1st grade and youngest in pre-school. Do they need any kind of documentation from their current school to get admission into Canadian school?

Thanks in Advance,
Rwe

What province are you moving to? Each province has different school boards. I would imagine that if you are legally entitled to move to Canada and work, your children would by association have the right to go to school in Canada.

rreword · 03-10-2010, 08:16 AM

Thanks for your reply.

We will be moving to Ontario - Mississauga or Markham area.

Are there any good school district in these area?

sunshineleith · 03-10-2010, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rreword

Thanks for your reply.

We will be moving to Ontario - Mississauga or Markham area.

Are there any good school district in these area?

Google

rgpg_99 · 03-10-2010, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunshineleith

Google

You know, Google sometimes does not have all the answers people may be looking for, moslty if what they are looking for is first hand information from someone in a similar situation (in this case, a couple with children in 1st grade and pre-school), or someone who knows about the quality of education in different school districts from personal experience.

Google can give you statistics, districts, etc., but the OP seemed to be asking for personal opinion or first-hand information about the quality of the education in those school districts.

If Google had all the information about everything, a forum like this one would not exist...

Acajack · 03-10-2010, 10:07 AM

Most places have clauses in their education laws that provide for public education for all kids living on their territory, regardless of their status or their parents' (often it even applies to people illegally in the country). I know for a fact that Ontario has this. So I wouldn’t be too concerned. Your kids will be able to go to public school in Ontario. You can count on it.

sunshineleith · 03-10-2010, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rgpg_99

You know, Google sometimes does not have all the answers people may be looking for, moslty if what they are looking for is first hand information from someone in a similar situation ...

Yeah the problem with first-hand knowledge here is that Canadians on C-D are few and far between. Acajack is in Quebec, I'm now in the UK, Robynator is in Vancouver, Nuala is in Nova Scotia, etc.

So in that case, Google can offer quite a bit

For example, school reports on the specific areas inquired about:

Markham: Ontario Elementary School Report Card | Toronto Sun (http://www.torontosun.com/elementaryschools/home.html?view=region&rid=4 - broken link)

and Mississauga: Ontario Elementary School Report Card | Toronto Sun (http://www.torontosun.com/elementaryschools/home.html?view=region&rid=3 - broken link)

So, those are the full reports, and the top 5 in the Markham area (Peel District) are:

St Stephen
St Francis Xavier
St Isaac Jogues
Our Lady of Providence
St Patrick

and top five in Mississauga are:
Forest Avenue
Ange-Gabriel
Saint-Jean-Baptiste 6
Vista Heights
St Matthew

rreword · 03-10-2010, 10:45 AM

Thanks all for good info - One question. I see here that there is separate Catholic school district. Are non-catholic eligible to enroll in these schools?

Thanks

sunshineleith · 03-10-2010, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rreword

Thanks all for good info - One question. I see here that there is separate Catholic school district. Are non-catholic eligible to enroll in these schools?

Thanks

My niece attends a Catholic High School (and is not Catholic) - she had to be willing to take the catechism classes, and she was. Policy will likely vary from school to school.

And they wanted to know that she was baptised (she was, but not a Catholic baptism, but they were okay with that).

from what I can tell, elementary schools seem to exclude non-Catholic students but the high schools are provincially legislated and cannot. "Secondary school admissions are under the provincially legislated Open Access and no child should be refused on religious grounds unless they are unwilling to respect the rites and practices of the Catholic school system."