就学児のためのCAQと就学許可の取得,および学校入学までの手続きと準備について

 

以下では時系列で説明する.ただし,あくまでも2004年の暮れから2005年3月までの,個人的体験だけであるので,責任は負わないことを御了承ください.

 

2004年11月 

カナダ大使館のホームページで調べたら,以下のことが分かった.就学児が就労許可の親と一緒に渡航し,6ヶ月以上の就学をする予定なら,就学許可が必要だ.就学児の就学許可を親の就労許可を一緒に申請する場合,入学許可書及び残高証明書は不要だ.ただし,ケベック州では,就学許可を申請する前にCAQを取得すべきだ.

そこで,ケベック移民局のホームページで,まず一時就労に関する説明を読んだ.そこにも就学児を連れて行く場合の説明があった:

A minor child who accompanies, or arrives to join, a parent in Québec with a work permit must obtain a Québec Certificate of Acceptance for Study as well as a study permit issued by the Canadian government. However, the minor children of temporary worker parents already in Québec do not need a Québec Certificate of Acceptance for Study or a study permit.

 

次に,一時就学に関する説明を読んだ.そこにCAQの話しがあった.そのCAQ申請についての説明は大変Confusingだった.

 

まず,make sure that you satisfy the prerequisites for obtaining a CAQ and go to the next stepをみて,気絶しそうになった.prerequisitesでは,以下のとんでもないことが要求されたのである.

 

To obtain a CAQ for studies, you must:

Pay the fee charged to process your application;

Be accepted by a Quebec educational institution;

Agree to comply with all conditions of your CAQ for studies, such as making studies your main activity;

Possess sufficient financial resources to cover:

Tuition fees;

Transportation (return ticket to your country of origin);

Settling-in expenses for the first year ($500 CAN);

Living expenses for the duration of your stay;

Health and hospitalization insurance for the duration of your studies.

 

2004年12月 

 

12月5日

上記の内容は合理性が欠けるとおもったので,移民局宛に以下のメールを出した:

 

Dear Sir:

I am a Japanese citizen, an associate professor of a university in Japan. From Aug. 2005 to Aug. 2006, I will stay in Concordia University in Montreal as a visiting scientist. And I will bring my little daughter and my wife as accompanying people. My daughter was born in March 26, 1999.  I will let her be educated at an elementary school in Montreal  during my one-year stay in Concordia University. I checked the webpages of Canadian Embassy in Tokyo and of your official site. I am informed that before I apply for the study permit for my daughter from the Embassy of Tokyo, I have to apply for a Quebec  Acceptance Certificate from Government of Quebec in Canada. I visited your page of "Students-temporary stay" and downloaded the PDF file of application form. Also, I checked the "

Prerequisites". I found the application form and list of required supporting documents are very general for a six year old child. I am therefore asking you some questions concerning the supporting documents for my daughter.

It says the applicant should  possess proof of admission to a Quebec educational institution. However,  the webpage of the Embassy in Tokyo says that as for application of study permit, it is not necessary for the child as an accompanying family people to submit a proof of admission of a school. I wonder if this proof of admission is absolutely necessary. Because at present time, I do not know  which elementary school my daughter should enter. We will choose apartment rooms near Condordia university and then find an elementary school nearby. If the proof of admission is absolutely necessary, please give some advises if possible.

Also it says in the list of supporting documents that the applicant should "have obtained health and hospitalization 

insurance coverage valid for the entire duration of your stay for yourself and the members of your family accompanying you".   The professor of the host laboratory that will accept me as a visiting scientist said that after I arrive in Montreal, the university can provide me a certificate so that I and my family can get free health and hospitalization insurance. And he said that this is the advantage to stay in Quebec... So, I wonder if we should get the certificate of health and hospitalization insurance before I apply for the Quebec acceptance of certificate for my daughter? 

I would be very grateful if you could kindly give me some advises.

Thank you in advance!

Best regards.

 

12月4日

また,English Montreal School Board(EMSB)宛に以下のメールを出した.

 

Dear

Mrs. Patricia D'Ornellas:

Mrs. Helen Besser:

Mrs. Carol Wong:

 

Excuse me for sending a long email from Japan.

I am a Japanese citizen, teaching in Kyushu University in Japan. From August 2005 to August 2006, I am to stay in   

Department of Mechanical Engineering 

Concordia University

1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W., H549

Montreal, Quebec H3G 1M8 Canada

as a visiting scientist. And I will apply for the Working Permit to Canadian Embassy in Tokyo.

My wife and my daughter will accompany me. I am sending this email regarding my daughter's  education in elementary school. I checked the webpages of Canadian Embassy in Tokyo and the webpages of Immigration-Quebec:

http://www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/anglais/immigration/students/step.html

 

If my daughter is educated for one year in Quebec, she should apply for the Study Permit.

The application procedure includes three steps:

 

(1) Get a Proof of Admission to a Quebec educational institution, that is, a letter of acceptance.

 

(2) Send the letter of acceptance and an application form to the Quebec government to obtain  the  Certificate of Acceptance (CAQ) for study purposes

 

(3) After the CAQ is issued, apply for the Study Permit to Canadian Embassy in Tokyo.

 

I have never been to Canada and do not know the situation in Montreal at all. Fortunately, I got much information from the webpages of EMSB. I am therefore writing this email for the Proof of Admission (or a letter of acceptance).

Let me know how I can obtain the letter of acceptance for my daughter. Who will issue the letter of acceptance? EMSB or an appropriate elementary school? Should I fill an application form and  prepare some supporting documents?

I checked the elementary schools belonging to EMSB by the city map. If possible, I hope to let my daughter to attend one of the following schools which are not far away from the Concordia University:

Bancroft, Westmount Park, Coronation, St. John Bosco. If the schools mentioned here are not suitable, please recommend me some other ones.

Finally, for your information, the personal data of my daughter is provided here:

%---------------------------------%

Name:           ************

Nationality:      Japan

Passport No.:     ************

Date birth:       ***************

Place of birth:   Fukuoka, Japan

%---------------------------------%

I am looking forward to hearing from you.

With best regards.

 

EMSBからは,すぐに以下の返事が来た.

In response to your e-mail, if you are coming to Quebec on a work permit, all you are required to do is when you arrive in Montreal, come to our School Board with your work permit and any other Immigration documents you have for your wife and daughter, also a translation of your daughter' Birth Certificate with parents' names. Our address is 6000 Fielding Avenue. Our telephone number is 483-7200 ext. 7248, 7249, 7250

Regards

なんとも的はずれの回答であった.

 

12月25日に,移民局からやっと返事のメールは来た:

Sir,

regarding your query, when a child is accompanying parents with a working visa, they do not need a CAQ.

Upon your arrival, kindly contact our call center : (514) 864-9191 for more information.

それはまた的はずれの回答であった.

 

2005年1月 

 

カナダ大使館にカナダからの返事を転送して,CAQの必要性を確認した.

以下の返事がすぐに来た:

 

以下はケベック州のホームページから抜き出してコピーしたものです。

http://www.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca/anglais/immigration/temporary-worker/guide_employer.html

 

School enrollment

A minor child who accompanies, or arrives to join, a parent in Quebec with a work permit must obtain a Quebec Certificate of Acceptance for Study as well as a study permit issued by the Canadian government. However, the minor children of temporary worker parents already in Quebec do not need a Quebec Certificate of Acceptance for Study or a study permit.

 

こちらにもありますように、CAQと就学許可証が必要とあります。お問い合わせをしたQuebec州の方が食い違うお答えをされていると思われますので、ご確認ください。

Visa Section/Section des visas

Canadian Embassy/Ambassade du Canada

Tokyo

Tel: (03)5412-6302(voice mail only)

Fax: (03)5412-6321

tokyo.visa@international.gc.ca

CIC website: http://www.cic.gc.ca

Embassy: http://www.canadanet.or.jp

rs

 

大使館のメール文をそれぞれ移民局とEMSBに転送し,再確認した.

移民局宛のメールは,ブラックホールに吸い込まれたようで,返事はこなかった.一方,EMSBからは,以下の返事がまた来た:

In response to your e-mail, when you and your family arrive in Montreal you will be contacting Quebec Immigration to obtain your CAQ.  However, if your daughter is accompanying you, she does not require a CAQ (Quebec

Certificate of Acceptation) Her Canadian Government Immigration permit is sufficient for school attendance.

 

もう絶望した!長年日本で生活していて,すっかりマニュアル人間になってしまった私にとっては,条文通りにやらないと,大変なストレスを感じた.

 

しかし,すぐに開き直った.おおらかなお国柄なので,たとえ子供がCAQやら就学許可などをとらなくても,Visitor で入国さえしたら,後は適当にやっていけると思い,気持ちを落ち着かせた.それでも,できればCAQを取りたい.

 

そこで,一時就学に関する説明を何回も何回も読み返した.まず,あのprerequisitesの説明は大変論理性が悪いと思った.というのは,後の説明内容で,日本を含むother countryでは,以下が適用される.

 

If you live in any other country, enclose the following documents with your Application for a CAQ for studies:

  passport format photo stapled to the application;

  payment of fees to process the application;

  photocopy of identity pages from your passport (pages with personal information, the photo and expiry date of the passport);

 original or certified copy of the letter of acceptance from the educational institution that you will attend;

A copy can be certified by the institution that issued the original document or by a person or institution authorized to administer an oath. The seal of the authorized institution or person must appear on the certified copy.

CAQの申請には経済能力証明や医療保険は必要でもなかった!

 

あのprerequisitesは他の国々に対する内容であった.それを冒頭に掲示し,人をびっくりさせるのはおかしい.それでも,以上の経緯で分かるように,original or certified copy of the letter of acceptance from the educational institution の入手は絶望的であった.

ここでの条文は主に大学や専門学校などへの留学を想定している.問題は,ケベック移民局の関係者が親同伴の就学児のCAQ申請に関わる細則を作成することを怠ったことにあると考えられる.前に移民局にクレームしたように,I found the application form and list of required supporting documents are very general for a six year old child.

親同伴の就学児の場合は,コンセンサスの取れた細則がないため,各機関が勝手に解釈したのではないか.親同伴の就学児の場合はそこまで厳しくないだろう.

 

1月20日

CAQの申請書には,教育機関をそのままEnglish Montreal School Board(EMSB)と書いた.そして,EMSBからの電子メール文

In response to your e-mail, if you are coming to Quebec on a work permit, all you are required to do is when you arrive in Montreal, come to our School Board with your work permit and any other Immigration documents you have for your wife and daughter, also a translation of your daughter' Birth Certificate with parents' names. Our address is 6000 Fielding Avenue. Our telephone number is 483-7200 ext. 7248, 7249, 7250

Regards

を印刷して,それを「Acceptance Letter」と称し,添付した.

要求はされていなかったが,自分のパスポートのコピーと大学の招聘状も添付した.さらに,手数料(東京三菱銀行のバンクドラフト)と以下の手紙文を添えて,ケベックに送った.

Services aux etudiants etrangers

Centre de services à la clientèle
285, rue Notre-Dame Ouest, rez-de-chaussée, bureau G-15
Montréal (Québec)  H2Y 1T8
Canada
Phone : (514) 864-9191

                                                 January 20, 2005
Dear Officer:

I am a Japanese citizen, teaching in Kyushu University in Japan. From August 2005 to August 2006, I will  stay in 

  Department of Mechanical Engineering, Concordia University

  1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W., H549, Montreal, Quebec H3G 1M8 Canada

as a visiting scientist. My wife and my daughter will accompany me. My daughter will be six years old this year and therefore I will enroll her in to an elementary school in Montreal. I consulted the visa office of Canadian Embassy in Tokyo. I was told that I should obtain the Work Permit and my daughter should obtain the Study Permit from the visa office of Canadian Embassy in Tokyo. Prior to this, my daughter should obtain the CAQ from Quebec government.

  I am sending herewith the application form for a CAQ for studies for my daughters attached with the following:

(1)  The  processing fee 100 CAN in bank draft payable to Ministre des Finances de Quebec.

(2)  A copy of the acceptance letter in email from

English-Montreal School Board,  6000, avenue Fielding,  Montreal (Quebec) H3X 1T4
Tel : (514) 483-7200,  Fax : (514) 483-7324

(3)     A copy of the selected page of my daughter’s passport.

Although it may not be necessary, just for your information and convenience, I am also sending the invitation letter to me from Concordia university, and a copy of the selected page of my passport.

I would be very grateful if you could kindly issue the CAQ to my daughter.

With best regards.

 

もし何も戻ってこなければ,子供はビザを取らずにカナダに連れて行くと覚悟した.何かトラブルが起こったら,電子メール文を証拠として「あなた達のせいだ」と主張するつもりだったので,それ以降はあまりストレスを感じなかった.

幸いなことに,6週間後に,CAQが届いた.平均的処理時間であった.ピンク色のCAQを見て,「苦労したよ!」と呟いた.

 

2005年3月29日

カナダ大使館に私の就労許可と娘の就学許可の申請書類を送った.数週間後に私の就労許可と娘の就学許可の手紙が届いた.

 

その他の準備:

日本の教科書:海外子女教育振興財団は,次学期のテキストを配布しているので,出国の前に取り寄せた.幸いなことに,福岡市が使っている教科書とはほぼ同じである.それ以降の教科書は,日本総領事館に在留届を出しておけば,支給されるはずだと海外子女教育振興財団が説明している.

戸籍謄本の英訳:戸籍謄本は,出生証明書として,English Montreal School Board(EMSB)と小学校に見せなければならなかった.また,医療保険を申請するときに,家族関係を証明する書類として見せる必要があった.翻訳は福岡市内の翻訳会社翻訳のサムライに依頼した.料金は約5,6千円だった.実際には会社に赴く必要がなく,注文や支払いはすべてインターネットで行った.

予防接種記録の英訳:予防接種記録は小学校から要求されることがあると知っていたので,事前に用意した.母子手帳をもって,福岡市東区の保健所に行き,英訳を依頼した.無料だった.