Study Permits Update — July 2, 2026
Thursday, July 2, 2026
As of January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students at public designated learning institutions (DLIs) no longer need a Provincial or Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) to apply for a study permit, and doctoral students now qualify for expedited processing in as little as two weeks.
Canada's 2026 national study permit target is 408,000 (including new arrivals and renewals), down 7% from 2025's target of 437,000 and 16% from 2024's target of 485,000, as part of a broader push to reduce the temporary resident population below 5% of Canada's total population by end of 2027.
Graduate students (master's and PhD) are now exempt from the study permit cap entirely, meaning they can apply even if the national cap has been reached, and they no longer need to pay a deposit to a DLI to obtain a PAL/TAL.
What You Should Do
- If you are applying for a master's or doctoral study permit at a public DLI, remove the PAL/TAL from your application checklist — it is no longer required as of January 1, 2026. Apply directly at ircc.canada.ca/english/study/apply-who.asp.
- Doctoral-level applicants should request expedited processing when submitting their study permit application online at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit.html — processing can be as fast as two weeks.
- Undergraduate and college-level international students applying to public institutions must still obtain a PAL/TAL from their province or territory before submitting a study permit application. Contact your intended school's admissions office to confirm the PAL process and current provincial allocation availability.
- If you are a prospective student at a private college, confirm whether your institution is a public designated learning institution (DLI) at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit/prepare/designated-learning-institutions-list.html — private 'licensed' colleges are not PGWP-eligible and may not qualify under the new rules.
- Check whether your spousal open work permit eligibility is affected: as of 2026, spousal OWPs are only available for spouses of master's, PhD, and select professional degree students. Review updated eligibility at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/work-off-campus.html.
Sources
Topics Covered
2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan: The 2026-2028 levels plan includes a target of 380,000 new permanent residents while reducing temporary residents, with study permit caps as a key lever to shrink the temporary population below 5% of Canada's total by 2027.
International Student Cap Reduction: Canada's 2026 study permit issuance target is 408,000 (new arrivals plus renewals), down from 437,000 in 2025 and 485,000 in 2024, with the government explicitly aiming to reduce the temporary resident population to under 5% of Canada's total population by end of 2027.
Graduate Student PAL Exemption: Effective January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students at public DLIs are fully exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement and are no longer counted against the national study permit cap. Doctoral students also now receive expedited processing in as little as two weeks.
More Study Permits Updates
Study Permits Update — July 16, 2026
Jul 16, 2026
Study Permits Update — July 13, 2026
Jul 13, 2026
Study Permits Update — July 9, 2026
Jul 9, 2026
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