Study Permits Update — August 3, 2026
Monday, August 3, 2026
Canada has set 309,670 study permit application spaces for 2026 (the cap on applications IRCC will process), with up to ~408,000 total permits expected to be issued across new and returning students — a roughly 7% drop from the prior year.
Starting January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students at public universities are exempt from needing a Provincial/Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL), speeding up their application process; undergraduate and college applicants still require a PAL.
Single applicants outside Quebec must show CA$22,895 in living funds (in effect since September 1, 2025) on top of first-year tuition and travel costs; off-campus work remains capped at 24 hours per week.
What You Should Do
- If you are a master's or doctoral student applying to a public university in Canada for 2026, confirm you do NOT need a PAL/TAL — verify your institution's DLI status at canada.ca/designated-learning-institutions before submitting your study permit application.
- If you are an undergraduate or college applicant, contact your province's attestation authority immediately to request your PAL before your application deadline, as provincial quotas are limited and spaces fill up — check your province's education ministry website for instructions.
- Prepare proof of living funds of at least CA$22,895 (plus first-year tuition and travel) in a bank statement or equivalent document dated within the last few months. Confirm the current threshold on canada.ca before applying, as IRCC adjusts it annually.
- If you are considering a private college, verify it is a designated learning institution AND PGWP-eligible at canada.ca before enrolling — private 'licensed' colleges are not PGWP-eligible under 2026 rules, which affects your post-graduation work options.
Sources
Topics Covered
Student Work Authorization Simplification: Off-campus work for international students remains at 24 hours per week in 2026; spousal open work permits are now restricted to spouses of master's, PhD, and select professional degree students only.
International Student Cap Reduction: Canada set 309,670 study permit application spaces for 2026, representing approximately a 7% reduction from the prior year's target, with up to ~408,000 total permits expected to be issued.
Graduate Student PAL Exemption: Effective January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students at public universities are officially exempt from the Provincial/Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) requirement, streamlining their study permit applications.
More Study Permits Updates
Study Permits Update — August 13, 2026
Aug 13, 2026
Study Permits Update — August 10, 2026
Aug 10, 2026
Study Permits Update — July 30, 2026
Jul 30, 2026
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