Study Permits for minor children (soooo confused)

[awor]

I finally got the answer I needed on enrolling my kids in Alberta schools while we wait for PR: http://www.alberta-canada.com/immigration/living/education-schools-enrolling.aspx

Reading the instructions, some things make sense and some things are confusing me A LOT more.
http://www.cic.gc.ca/EnGLIsh/information/applications/student.asp

I need to apply for 4 study permits, one for each child, but I do not need to apply for one for me, correct?

I will be living with my kids but the instructions say I need to fill out the Custody Declaration? Which gives some 3rd party permission to have custody of my kids while they are in school... this is making no sense.

Do I answer ALL the questions (background info) for my child(ren) or for myself? Obviously my 5 year old entering K next fall isn't going to have any felonies, but they would want to know if I did....

They require financial proof we can support ourselves while in Canada... my husband will be supporting us until PR is approved and I am legal to get my business going in Canada (self employed web developer)... what do I include for proof?

I think that's it for now... I know there was more but this is giving me a headache.

[Leon]

Talk to the schools first.  If you are being sponsored by a Canadian husband, they might see it differently.

[awor]

Thank you Leon.

I talked to both principals mid-May who had never dealt with this before (really tiny town in the middle of nowhere) and they said they'd get the information for me and call me back. By the time I realized they hadn't, school was out for the summer :/ The school district head office was NO help, they said to call the schools (who in turn probably just called the district head office...) so I really don't know what to do. I guess I can wait til school starts back up and call again but it makes me nervous to wait that long (leaving to "visit" while PR is in process in November) and potentially not have the study permits before we leave. I don't want to get there and the kids can't go to school for months and months.

[dakonej]

I believe Alberta schools will be the same as in Ontario: your kids must be Landed PR to be able to attend without a Permit to Attend. I would assume that your kid(s) will either be Canadian citizen(s) or Landed Immigrant by the time you enroll them in school in September, so no need for a permit.

I would suggest getting in touch with your school board at the town where you'll be living, for example the Calgary Board of Education, or this website: http://education.alberta.ca/apps/schoolsdir/pubsouth.asp

[Leon]

Bring your husband with you when talking to the principals.  He is the one who can say that he is the Canadian who is sponsoring these children for PR and wants to enrol them in school.  It gives a lot more weight then you coming and saying, hi, I am here on a visit visa...

You might still need a study permit though.  If you apply, include proof that you and your husband have applied for sponsorship.  You need to apply for the study permits for the children, give the background information of the children and you do not need one yourself unless you want to study too.  Have the husband sign something regards to him supporting you and the children financially, send some bank statements and payslips from him, that should be it.

[awor]

That makes sense Leon. Both principals were a little indignant that Canada would make me jump through hoops when I'm married to a citizen and close to getting PR. I'm not sure if I should spend the money on the permits just in case (so we don't have to wait in case the schools end up requiring them) or just cross my fingers.

dakonej, we are hoping to apply for PR this month. It would be fantastic if it was approved before November, but I'm thinking it won't happen quite that quick

[Leon]

You could also get the textbooks and home school your kids for the couple of months.  You could get together with other parents who are home schooling to see what they are doing.  Just an idea.

[awor]

That was strongly considered because I have already homeschooled my kids for years but it got to the point, as my younger 2 got older, that I couldn't do it anymore One of my teenagers has severe developmental disabilities (similar to autism, but not that) and my youngest is showing similar, but milder, problems, so school is where they need to be. It's a good suggestion though. I talked to my husband tonight about it and he (since he's the one footing the bill for all this stuff) thinks that the money spent on the permits will be worth the peace of mind so that's what we'll do! Now to get all the applications started, if it's anything like the PR, it'll take me a while to finish LOL

[awor]

Leon, another question. Do I need to appoint myself their representative? It seems obvious that I should not but there's no where on these forms that has me give my information.

[Leon]

You can write a cover letter stating that you are married to a Canadian and he is in the process of sponsoring you and the kids for PR.  Include the file number.