Study Permits Update — July 9, 2026
Thursday, July 9, 2026
Starting January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students enrolled at public Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) are exempt from the Provincial/Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) requirement when applying for a study permit.
Canada's 2026 international student cap targets up to 408,000 study permit issuances — 155,000 to newly arriving students and 253,000 extensions — a 7% reduction from 2025 and 16% from 2024.
The number of study permit holders has already dropped from over 1 million in January 2024 to about 725,000 by September 2025, with further reductions planned to bring Canada's temporary population below 5% of the total population by end of 2027.
What You Should Do
- If you are applying for a master's or doctoral study permit at a public DLI starting January 1, 2026, confirm you do NOT need to include a PAL/TAL with your application. Check the official list of eligible public DLIs at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship once it is published.
- If you are an undergraduate or college-level international student, you still need a PAL/TAL — contact your intended province or territory's immigration office to obtain one before submitting your study permit application.
- Current study permit holders seeking an extension in 2026 should apply early, as only 253,000 extensions are budgeted. Check your permit expiry date and apply at least 30 days before it expires via the IRCC portal at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application.
- Prospective international students should verify their intended institution appears on the IRCC's public DLI list at canada.ca before applying, as PAL/TAL exemptions apply only to eligible public DLIs.
Sources
Topics Covered
International Student Cap Reduction: Canada's 2026 study permit issuance target is 408,000 — down 7% from 2025 and 16% from 2024 — as part of a broader effort to reduce the temporary population to below 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 exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement for study permit applications, reducing a key administrative barrier for graduate-level applicants.
More Study Permits Updates
Study Permits Update — July 16, 2026
Jul 16, 2026
Study Permits Update — July 13, 2026
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Study Permits Update — July 6, 2026
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