Children between 6 and 16 must attend school, and most of them go to public schools. Classes usually start in early September and end in late June. There is a two-week vacation at Christmas and one-week vacation in either February or March. Children attend school Monday to Friday, for about six hours per day. They usually bring their lunch with them.
There are also private schools, but these can be quite expensive. Public and separate (Catholic) schools are paid for through your taxes.
The best way to find out which schools your children should attend is by phoning the school boards in your area. These are listed under “Schools?in the yellow pages of your telephone book. This choice is usually based on where you live and which system you prefer.
Many schools are not within walking distance, and children often take school buses (provided by the school at minimal or no cost to you) or public transportation to get there. This is something to consider when choosing either a school or a place to live.
When you enroll your children, take their birth certificates or other identity documents to the school. If the originals of the documents are in languages other than English or French, you should have them translated into English or French. Also bring their Record of Landing (IMM 1000), passport and any former school and health records. You could also be asked for immunization records.
Learning is a lifelong activity in Canada, and many Canadians continue to study as adults. While adult education is not free, the benefits may well be worth the money. You may wish to train for a new job, or to improve the skills you already have. You may also wish to apprentice for a trade. The qualifications for many trades are different from province to province, and you must obtain a licence before you can practise. Remember that some Canadian schools will not give credit for a course or diploma obtained outside Canada.
If you want information on continuing education, contact the school board, college or university in your community. Look these up in the yellow pages of the telephone book under “Schools,?“Colleges,?and “Universities.?You can also get a list of the educational institutions in your area from an immigrant-serving organization. You might also want to look up professional or trade associations in the province where you live for information on qualifications.
Other sources of information are: