Study Permits Update — October 5, 2026

What You Should Do

• -If you are a new undergraduate-level international student applicant for 2026, obtain a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL) from your province/territory before submitting your study permit application — IRCC will not process your application without it. Check your province's allocation status at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/2026-provincial-territorial-allocations-under-international-student-cap.html.
• -If you are a master's or doctoral student applying to a public DLI for January 2026 or later, confirm your school is on IRCC's eligible public DLI list (to be published on canada.ca) to take advantage of the PAL/TAL exemption — submit your study permit application without a PAL/TAL once the list is confirmed.
• -If you are currently on a study permit and need to extend, note that 253,000 extension spaces are allocated for 2026. Apply for your extension at least 90 days before your current permit expires via the IRCC secure online portal at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/extend-study-permit.html.
• -Prospective students should monitor their province's PAL/TAL allocation space closely — once a province hits its cap, IRCC stops accepting new applications from that province's DLIs and returns processing fees. Check real-time allocation status at canada.ca before paying any fees.