An applicant asked whether anyone had successfully applied for a Canadian study visa together with a spouse and kids, despite having a large study gap and already holding a master's degree from India.
What the group shared:- Positive PPRs have happened for exactly this kind of profile — the group confirmed there are real examples of applicants with a big gap, a prior master's, and a family application still getting approved.
- The deciding factors were a strong SOP, solid financials, and clear proof of home ties — not the raw profile facts (gap, prior degree) alone. A well-argued SOP that addresses these red flags head-on appears to matter more than avoiding them.
- Indian consultants commonly recommend applying solo first, then bringing the spouse over via a Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) rather than filing the whole family together from the start — this was mentioned as the more commonly advised strategy, though the original question was specifically about filing together.
Takeaway: a big study gap and a prior master's don't automatically disqualify a family application, but you'll need to lean heavily on your SOP, financials, and home-tie evidence — and weigh whether applying solo first (with the spouse following via SOWP) might be the lower-risk path your consultant would likely suggest.