Public or private school for your children

Education is a major reason investor families consider Canada. The rules depend on the parents' immigration status at each stage.

The work permit stage

Most provincial entrepreneur streams bring you to Canada on a work permit first. Children coming with a parent on a work permit need a study permit before entry for primary or secondary school; no acceptance letter is needed in this case.
Children already in Canada whose parent has a work permit don't need one, but IRCC recommends it.
Ask the school board about fees: some may charge students who aren't yet residents depending on the family's status.

Children of permanent residents don't need a study permit and attend public school like Canadian students.

	Public	Private
Governance	Elected school boards, provincial curriculum	Private organizations, sometimes religious or with their own model
Fees	Free for those meeting age and residence rules	Tuition fees
Language	English; French under conditions; French immersion in many areas	Varies
Scale	About 14,600 public schools nationwide (CMEC, 2020)	Fewer, mostly in cities

According to IRCC, some private schools accept only boys or only girls; most Canadian schools are co-ed.

Public schools are assigned by address: where you buy or rent decides your child's school.
In rural entrepreneur streams (such as Alberta Rural Entrepreneur), school choice in small communities is more limited than in big cities; look into it during your exploratory visit.
Check English language support for newcomer students.

Note Bring immunization records, school reports and certified translations to make enrolment easier.