If you’re planning to study abroad with a spouse or children, the rules on whether they can even come — let alone work — vary sharply by destination, and a couple of major destinations have tightened significantly in the last two years. This comparison covers the UK, Canada, Australia, and the US as they stand in 2026, since “can I bring my family” is often as decisive a factor as tuition cost or program ranking.
United Kingdom: dependants restricted to PhD-level students
The UK made the biggest policy shift of the four. Since January 2024, most international students — anyone on an undergraduate or standard postgraduate taught course — can no longer bring dependants on a Student visa. The exception is postgraduate research students (PhD and equivalent research degrees), who remain eligible to bring a spouse and children. This single rule change reshaped the calculus for a huge share of prospective UK students who previously planned to bring family, and it’s still in force through 2026 with no confirmed reversal announced.
Canada: open work permits for spouses, no blanket ban
Canada allows spouses and common-law partners of study-permit holders to apply for an open work permit — meaning the partner isn’t tied to a specific employer and can work for the duration of the student’s study permit. This has made Canada one of the more attractive destinations for students planning a longer stay with family, though eligibility rules for spousal open work permits have been adjusted periodically as Canada manages overall immigration volume, so confirm current eligibility (which can depend on your program level and institution) on IRCC’s own site before relying on it.
Australia: dependants allowed, work hours capped — and under review
Australia permits spouses and de facto partners to accompany subclass 500 student visa holders. Dependant work rights are capped at 48 hours per fortnight, except for dependants of research master’s or PhD students, where the cap is lifted entirely. Importantly, as of 2026 there’s mounting speculation — reported but not yet confirmed as enacted policy — that the Australian government is considering tightening “secondary” visas for partners and children of international students, echoing the UK’s 2024 move. If dependants are central to your planning, check the Department of Home Affairs site for the current position before committing, since this is an area actively in flux.
United States: dependants allowed, but spouses can’t work
Under the F-1 visa, dependants (a spouse and unmarried children under 21) qualify for F-2 status, which lets them live in the US alongside the student. The significant limitation: an F-2 spouse is not permitted to work under any circumstances, a much harder line than Canada’s open work permit or even Australia’s capped hours. F-2 dependants can generally study part-time at the K-12 level or in short recreational courses, but full-time enrollment in a degree program typically requires switching status.
Quick comparison
| Country | Who can bring dependants | Dependant work rights |
|---|---|---|
| UK | PhD/research students only | Generally yes, case-dependent |
| Canada | Most study permit holders | Open work permit, no employer tie |
| Australia | Most subclass 500 holders | Capped at 48 hrs/fortnight (uncapped for research PhD) |
| US | Most F-1 holders (F-2 status) | Not permitted to work |
What this means for your planning
If bringing a spouse who needs to work is a hard requirement, Canada’s open work permit route is currently the clearest path among these four. If you’re specifically pursuing a research doctorate, both the UK and Australia keep dependant access open with fewer restrictions than their general student-visa rules. If you’re applying to the UK or US on anything other than a research degree, budget for your family staying behind, at least for the duration of your program, since neither currently offers a straightforward alternative for undergraduate or standard postgraduate students.
Policy in this area is moving quickly — both the UK’s 2024 ban and the reported Australian review show governments are actively using dependant rules as an immigration-volume lever. Always check the current position on the relevant government site (gov.uk, canada.ca, homeaffairs.gov.au, uscis.gov) rather than relying on last year’s rule.
See VisaMet’s Canada vs UK for international students, Canada vs Australia for students, and work rights on a student visa guides for related comparisons. VisaMet is building AI tools to help you plan your application with your full family situation in mind — join the waitlist.
This is general preparation guidance, not legal advice. Dependant eligibility and work rights change with policy — confirm the current rules directly with the relevant government immigration site before making study-abroad plans around them.