Why this document matters so much
When a family decides their child will spend a year studying in Canada, almost all the attention goes to the school, the city and the cost. But there is one document that never appears in the brochures and that, in practice, decides whether the study permit is approved or refused: the custodianship declaration.
The Canadian government starts from a simple idea: a minor who is going to live in Canada without their parents needs an adult in Canada who is legally responsible for them. That adult is the custodian, and appointing one follows precise rules.
Who counts as a minor in Canada
There is no single answer, because each province sets its own age of majority:
- 18 years: Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Saskatchewan.
- 19 years: British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
This matters because, although the federal government requires a custodian from a certain age, many schools and school districts ask for one for every student who is a minor under their provincial rules.
What the Canadian government requires
The federal rule is clear. A minor under 17 must meet one of two conditions: travel and live with their parent or legal guardian, or have a custodian in Canada.
The custodian must be a responsible adult who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and who takes charge of the minor's care and support during their stay. For young people aged 17 or older a custodian is optional, but an immigration officer can require one case by case, and in practice it is strongly advisable to have one.
How it is done: the two-page declaration
The appointment is made using the Custodianship Declaration form, filed together with the study permit application. It has two pages that look alike but are signed in different places:
- The first page is signed by the custodian and notarized in Canada.
- The second page is signed by the parents or legal guardians and notarized in their home country.
That detail, two notarizations in two countries, is where most of the problems start.
The mistakes that sink applications
In our experience, these are the most frequent causes of refusal connected to custodianship:
- Submitting only one of the two pages, or both signed and notarized in the same country.
- A custodian who is neither a citizen nor a permanent resident.
- A custodian who lives too far from the school to step in during an emergency.
- Dates or names that do not match across the declaration, the passport and the letter of acceptance.
- A custodian who signed without understanding that they are taking on a real legal responsibility.
A refusal does not just cost the fee and months of waiting. It can make your child lose the entire school year.
What if I would rather go with my child?
It is a question almost every parent of a young child asks us, and it has an answer. If one of the parents holds a work or study permit in Canada, the minor can attend elementary or high school without needing a custodian, and even without their own study permit, although we recommend applying for one anyway. Every family is different and the options depend on their profile, so we assess it case by case.
Why an agency cannot solve this
Here is the difference between an education agency and a regulated immigration consultancy. The agency finds you the school. Custodianship, the study permit and the strategy for a parent to accompany the child are immigration matters, and only a regulated consultant (RCIC) or a Canadian lawyer can legally represent you before the Canadian government.
At Goldstone Education we prepare the custodianship declaration with you, verify that the custodian meets the requirements, and file the minor's complete application. If you want to understand the process step by step, register for our free webinar or message us on WhatsApp.
Source: IRCC, "Studying in Canada as a minor", consulted in August 2026.