HOW TO ENROLL IN SCHOOL FOR FREE ? WHAT ABOUT MISSING DOCUMENTS ?
– updated November 2018 –
Who can enroll in school?
Any parent who lives in Quebec has the right to send their children to school for free, regardless of their immigration status.
This includes parents who are undocumented or have a visitor’s status, since a change to Quebec’s law on public education in 2018 (through bill 144).
How?
Go to your local school board’s offices (or, outside of Montreal, sometimes to the local school) with identification, your child and two documents:
- a birth certificate (from any country)
- proof of address (an internet, hydro or residential phone bill ; a lease or letter from the person providing you housing ; in some situations even a notarized statement)
Please note that school boards will at times accept forms of proof (especially of address) other than those indicated on their websites. Some school boards (in Montreal, the Commission scolaire de Montréal and the Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys) ask for two proof of address, though the ministry requires only one. If you have difficulties finding enough proof of where you live, or for any questions, contact us.
Will the confidentiality of my situation be respected?
It is no longer necessary (since July 2018) to show a proof of immigration status in order to register for school. It is even illegal for schools or school boards to require this proof. However, some employees ask about immigration status (for example, by ignorance or in order to know whether the child could be admissible to public medical coverage).
Some families who prefer to be very discreet about their situation plan on how to respond if asked abour their status. It is often sufficient to mention that the family is in the process of reguliarizing their status (without specifying the current status). Come families even prepare a letter from a lawyer mentioning that such a process if foreseen or underway, however such a letter could be seen by school employees even years later.
We only know of one case in Quebec where a school contacted Immigration Canada about an undocumented child (in 2014). We know of dozens of undocumented families who have been able to attend school without having problems with Immigration Canada.
School boards are required to ask the permission of the family if they wish to communicate with Immigration Canada. Normally they should not need to know a child or parent’s status.
Free Education
Are some familiies told that they will have to pay ?
In addition to fees changed to all families, some families are billed over $5800 per child per year. However, any child whose parents (or those with parental authority) live in Quebec has the right to free schooling. Only a small number of children can still be excluded from this right under Quebec’s laws, namely :
- children whose parents don’t live in Quebec (for example, who live with grandparents, while the parents live in another country);
- parents who are not able to prove to the school board that they live in Quebec or that they are the parents of the child (in other words, the school board refuses to accept the only kinds of proof that the family has access to);
- young people of 18 years or older who still want to finish high school
- children who arrive in the country through an exchange program that includes fees
School fees can in some cases be paid later in the school year and not at the time of enrollment. School boards also have the power to except students for humanitarian reasons, or can ask the ministry to make this kind of exception. We know some families who have been able to get this kind of excemption.
In the event that an amount is billed to a family, the school boards send numerous reminders but, to our knowledge, do not initiate other proceedings to get bills paid. However, because schooling is obligatory between 6 and 16 years of age, though registration should not be refused, it is often at the time of registration that pressure is brought to bear on families.
Contact us if you have trouble accessing school for free.
CEGEP and University?
For now, to attend CEGEP or university, a student must have a study permit and pay the same fees as exchange students.