Custodianship

Students under the age of 19 must EITHER:
•  Travel to Canada with their parent or legal guardian, or
•  Have a custodian in Canada

As per the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website, a custodian is a responsible adult who will take care of and support the minor child. Custodians must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents. They must live within a reasonable distance of the student to support the student in case of an emergency.

At the Coquitlam School District, students in elementary school must reside with at least one parent. They do not need to appoint a custodian.

Students in middle school and secondary school (grades 6 and above) may reside with a host family or other responsible adult. If neither parent will join the student in Canada, the parents must appoint a custodian.

To appoint a custodian, two documents are required:
1. Custodianship declaration signed by the custodian and notarized in Canada
2. Custodianship declaration signed by the parents and notarized in their home country

These two documents look very similar, but the signatories are different.

Notarized custodianship declarations are required by IRCC as part of most study permit applications.

The Coquitlam School District international office also requires notarized custodianship declarations as part of the application process.

The Coquitlam School District does not provide custodianship services. Most homestay agencies offer custodianship as part of their fees. Some agencies offer custodianship without homestay. You can find a full list of our custodianship service providers at the following link: List of custodianship providers