Bringing a spouse or children while you study abroad used to be relatively straightforward across the UK, Canada, and Australia — that's no longer true anywhere. All three countries have significantly tightened dependent eligibility since 2024, and the rules now differ sharply by degree level, programme length, and even your specific field of study. This is one of the fastest-moving areas of international education policy, so treat the details below as a snapshot of mid-2026 rules and always verify current requirements before making enrolment decisions based on them.
Quick Comparison
| Factor | UK | Canada | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Can most students bring dependents? | No — restricted since January 2024 | Depends on programme type and length | Generally yes, with work-rights restrictions for some |
| Who is still eligible | PhD/research postgraduates (9+ months) and government-sponsored scholarship students (6+ months) | Spouses of PhD students; spouses of master's programmes 16+ months; select professional programmes | Most subclass 500 visa holders can bring family (Member of Family Unit) |
| Dependent work rights | Full-time, unrestricted | Open work permit only for eligible spousal categories (tightened repeatedly since 2024) | Generally capped at the same fortnightly hour limit as the student, with an exception for postgraduate research family members |
United Kingdom
The January 2024 Restriction
Since 1 January 2024, most international students on UK Student visas can no longer bring dependants. The restriction was introduced as part of a broader package of UK migration policy changes and remains in force through 2026.
| Who Can Still Bring Dependants | Who Cannot |
|---|---|
| PhD, doctoral, and other postgraduate research students (e.g., MPhil) on courses of 9 months or longer | Taught postgraduate students (MSc, MA, LLM, MBA) — unless on a government-sponsored scholarship |
| Students on a government-sponsored programme of 6 months or longer | Undergraduate students |
| — | Foundation and pre-sessional/language course students |
Dependent Work Rights (Where Eligible)
| Right | Detail |
|---|---|
| Employer | Any employer |
| Occupation | Any role — no restriction |
| Hours | Full-time, unrestricted |
Costs to Factor In
Each dependant requires their own visa application, including their own Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) payment on top of the visa fee — this adds a meaningful cost on top of the primary applicant's own visa and IHS costs. Confirm current fee amounts on GOV.UK before budgeting, as both figures are revised periodically.
Bottom line for the UK: unless you're specifically pursuing a PhD/research master's or a government-funded scholarship, plan for the UK as a solo-study destination for now.
Canada
Canada does not restrict dependent children the way the UK does — study permit holders can generally still bring a spouse/common-law partner and dependent children. What has changed significantly is who qualifies for a Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP), and the rules have been revised multiple times since March 2024.
| Eligible for Spousal Open Work Permit (as of 2026) | Not Currently Eligible |
|---|---|
| Spouses of PhD/doctoral students | Spouses of bachelor's degree students |
| Spouses of master's programme students, where the programme is 16 months or longer | Spouses of shorter master's programmes (under 16 months) |
| Spouses of students in select professional programmes (e.g., law, medicine, engineering, nursing, pharmacy, education) | Spouses of college/diploma-level students |
Additional restriction (2026): spouses of students in their final academic term may now be refused an open work permit, even on renewal, under further tightening introduced in early 2026.
Grandfathering: applications submitted before the relevant cut-off dates continue to be assessed under the rules in force at the time of submission, even if a decision is issued later — but new applicants should assume the current, tighter criteria apply to them.
| Detail | Rule |
|---|---|
| Dependent children | Generally permitted to accompany a study permit holder, regardless of the above spousal work-permit restrictions |
| Access to schooling | Dependent children of study permit holders are generally entitled to attend primary and secondary school |
| Spousal work rights (where eligible) | Open work permit, not tied to a specific employer |
Bottom line for Canada: dependent children generally aren't restricted, but whether your spouse can legally work now depends heavily on your specific programme type and length — check eligibility against your exact programme before assuming a spousal work permit will be available.
Australia
Australia has historically been more permissive toward dependents on student visas (subclass 500, where dependents are classified as a "Member of Family Unit" or MoFU), and that remains broadly true — but work rights for dependents are now tied to the primary student's course level.
| Primary Student's Course Level | Dependent Work Rights |
|---|---|
| Postgraduate research (Master's by Research, Doctoral) | Generally unrestricted work rights for family members |
| Undergraduate and most postgraduate coursework (including most Master's by coursework) | Capped at the same fortnightly hour limit as the primary student visa holder (48 hours per fortnight as of 2026) |
There has been discussion of raising the general student work-hour cap (and by extension the dependent cap for capped categories) from 48 to 60 hours per fortnight, but as of mid-2026 this remained a proposal, not confirmed policy — check the Department of Home Affairs website for the current figure before relying on it.
| Detail | Rule |
|---|---|
| Dependent children | Generally permitted to accompany the primary student visa holder |
| Access to schooling | Varies by state/territory — some jurisdictions charge international student school fees for dependent children, others provide access on different terms |
| Visa costs | Additional visa application charges apply per dependent — confirm current amounts on the Department of Home Affairs website |
Bottom line for Australia: dependents can generally still accompany you, and the biggest practical question is whether your specific course level qualifies your family members for unrestricted or capped work rights.
Choosing a Destination If Bringing Family Matters to You
| If You Are... | Most Family-Friendly Option (as of 2026) |
|---|---|
| Considering a PhD or research master's | UK, Canada, and Australia all allow dependents, generally with reasonable work rights |
| Considering a standard taught master's (under 16 months) | Canada and Australia are more accommodating than the UK for dependents; check Canada's specific programme-length rule and Australia's work-hour cap |
| Considering an undergraduate degree | The UK is not currently an option for bringing dependents; Australia generally allows accompaniment with capped dependent work rights; Canada generally allows dependent children to accompany but spousal work rights typically won't apply |
Education for Dependent Children: What to Check
Beyond whether dependents can accompany you and whether a spouse can work, access to schooling for dependent children is a separate practical question worth researching before you commit to a destination.
| Country | What to Check |
|---|---|
| UK | Where dependents are eligible (research postgraduate/scholarship routes), dependent children generally have access to state education on broadly similar terms to residents — confirm current local authority rules for your specific area |
| Canada | Rules on whether dependent children of study permit holders attend public school as a resident or pay international student fees vary by province — check your specific province's education ministry guidance |
| Australia | Some states and territories charge international student school fees for dependent children of student visa holders, while others provide different arrangements — check your specific state/territory's department of education |
Because schooling costs and access can meaningfully affect your overall budget if you're bringing children, research this at the state/provincial level, not just the national visa policy level.
Financial Requirements for Bringing Dependents
All three countries require you to demonstrate additional financial capacity for each dependent beyond what's required for the primary student visa holder alone.
| Country | General Approach |
|---|---|
| UK | Additional maintenance funds required per dependent, on top of the primary applicant's own required funds — check current GOV.UK figures, as they are reviewed periodically |
| Canada | Additional proof-of-funds amounts apply per accompanying family member, on top of the primary applicant's study permit financial requirement |
| Australia | Additional visa application charges and financial capacity requirements apply per dependent |
Because these additional amounts can be substantial when multiplied across a spouse and multiple children, factor them into your overall budget early in your planning process, well before submitting a visa application.
Why This Area Changes So Often
All three countries have used dependent visa policy as a lever in broader net-migration debates over the past two years, and further adjustments are plausible. Before making a decision that depends on bringing family members, verify current rules directly with:
- UK: GOV.UK Student visa dependants guidance
- Canada: IRCC's official study permit and open work permit pages
- Australia: Department of Home Affairs subclass 500 visa guidance
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