Study Permits Update — October 8, 2026
Thursday, October 8, 2026
Canada will issue up to 408,000 study permits in 2026 — 155,000 to new international students and 253,000 extensions — down 7% from 2025 and 16% from 2024, continuing the trend of reducing the temporary resident population below 5% of Canada's total population by end of 2027.
Starting January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students enrolled at a public Designated Learning Institution (DLI) are exempt from the Provincial/Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) requirement, recognizing their economic and innovation contributions.
Study permit holders have already dropped from over 1 million in January 2024 to about 725,000 by September 2025 as a result of the 2024 cap introduction; IRCC's multi-year reform roadmap runs through 2027 with milestones expected this spring and fall.
What You Should Do
- If you are a master's or doctoral student applying for a study permit in 2026, confirm your institution is on the public DLI list (to be published by IRCC at canada.ca) — if it is, you do NOT need a PAL/TAL. Check canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship for the DLI list as soon as it is posted.
- If you are an undergraduate or college-level applicant, check your province's remaining PAL/TAL allocation space before applying, as IRCC stops accepting applications once a province's cap is reached and will return processing fees. Monitor your province's designated institution for PAL availability updates.
- If you are a current study permit holder in Canada needing an extension, confirm you are counted under the 253,000 extension target (not the 155,000 new-arrivals allocation) by reviewing your permit status at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/extend-study-permit.html before your current permit expires.
- Track IRCC's 2026 reform roadmap milestones — key updates are expected in spring and fall 2026. Bookmark the IRCC Deputy Minister Transition Binder page at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/transparency/transition-binders/deputy-minister-2026/international-student-program.html for announcements.
Sources
Topics Covered
2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan: The 2026 study permit issuance target of 408,000 is explicitly tied to the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, which sets broader goals for reducing Canada's temporary resident population below 5% of the total population by end of 2027.
International Student Cap Reduction: Canada has set the 2026 international student cap at 408,000 total study permits — a 7% reduction from 2025 and 16% from 2024 — with allocations distributed by province via PAL/TAL spaces totalling 309,670.
Graduate Student PAL Exemption: Effective January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students at public DLIs no longer need a PAL/TAL to apply for a study permit, with a full list of eligible institutions to be published on IRCC's website.
How these topics connect
Canada's comprehensive immigration strategy is using study permit caps as a key lever to achieve its temporary population reduction targets.
More Study Permits Updates
Study Permits Update — October 12, 2026
Oct 12, 2026
Study Permits Update — October 5, 2026
Oct 5, 2026
Study Permits Update — October 1, 2026
Oct 1, 2026
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