Canadian Study Permit: Eligibility, Application, and Recent Reforms

TL;DR — A Canadian study permit is required for most international students enrolling in programs longer than six months at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). Since 2024, applicants from most countries also need a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) before applying. The 2024–2026 study-permit caps, increased proof-of-funds requirements, and changes to off-campus work hours, the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), and the Student Direct Stream (SDS) — closed in November 2024 — have reshaped the system.

What a study permit is

A study permit is the document Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issues to a foreign national to study at a Canadian Designated Learning Institution (DLI). It is not a visa — visa-required students also need a separate visitor visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada. Both are usually issued together when the study permit is approved.

A study permit is required for any program of study longer than six months. Programs of six months or less can be completed as a visitor without a permit, although students may still apply for a permit if they wish to extend or change status later.

Eligibility

To qualify for a study permit, applicants must:

Be accepted by a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in Canada. Provincial and territorial governments designate DLIs; only DLIs are eligible to host international students. (Primary and secondary schools are automatically DLIs.)
Provide a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) issued by the province or territory of the DLI (with limited exemptions — see below).
Prove they have enough money to pay tuition, living expenses, and return travel for themselves and any accompanying family. The 2024 update raised the single-applicant cost-of-living requirement (outside Quebec) from $10,000 to $20,635 per year, and IRCC has annually adjusted this to track inflation.
Be a law-abiding citizen with no criminal record (police certificates required for some applicants).
Be in good health and complete a medical exam if required.
Convince an immigration officer that they will leave Canada at the end of authorized stay (study-permit applicants can have dual intent — they can also intend to immigrate later — but must demonstrate compliance with their study permit conditions).

Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)

Introduced January 22, 2024, the PAL is a letter from the province or territory of the DLI confirming that the applicant counts toward that province's annual study-permit allocation. IRCC will not process a study-permit application from an affected applicant without a PAL.

Exemptions include:

Primary and secondary school students.
Master's and doctoral students.
Students transferring to a new DLI within the same province (in many cases).
Visiting and exchange students under specific provincial programs.
Students who already hold a valid study permit applying for an extension at the same level.

Provinces issue PALs to DLIs based on annual allocations announced by IRCC. The 2026 provincial and territorial allocations were announced under the international-student cap framework.

How to apply

Online application

Applicants apply online through the IRCC Portal. The application package includes the IMM 1294 (Application for Study Permit), supporting documents, and the application fee (CAD $150) plus the biometrics fee (CAD $85) if applicable. Approved applicants are typically issued a Port of Entry letter (a letter of introduction) — the actual study permit is issued at the Canadian port of entry.

Documents required:

Letter of acceptance from a DLI.
Provincial Attestation Letter (where required).
Proof of identity (passport).
Proof of financial support (bank statements; Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC); proof of paid tuition; sponsor's bank statements).
Two photos meeting IRCC photo specifications.
Statement of purpose (study plan).
Letter of explanation if the applicant has previously been refused a Canadian visa.
Custodian declaration for minors.
Country-specific documents per the visa office instructions.

Biometrics

Applicants between 14 and 79 must give biometrics at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) within 30 days of receiving the Biometrics Instruction Letter. Biometrics are valid for 10 years.

Processing times

Processing times vary by country and visa office — from a few weeks to several months. IRCC publishes live estimates on canada.ca by program and country of residence.

Off-campus work

Study permit holders can work part-time off-campus during academic sessions and full-time during scheduled breaks (winter holidays, summer break). The previous 20-hour-per-week cap during sessions was raised to 24 hours per week in November 2024 (from a temporary unlimited-hours policy that ran 2022–2023). On-campus work has no hour cap.

To work off-campus a student must hold a valid study permit, be a full-time student in a post-secondary academic, vocational, or professional training program, and have a Social Insurance Number (SIN). Students enrolled in ESL/FSL-only programs or general-interest courses cannot work off-campus.

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

The PGWP is a separate open work permit for students who graduate from an eligible Canadian DLI program. PGWP duration matches the length of the program (minimum 8 months for a permit; maximum 3 years).

Major 2024 changes:

Field-of-study requirement: Most public-college applicants must have graduated from a program connected to occupations facing long-term shortages. The eligible-program list is published by IRCC and updated periodically.
Public-private partnerships: Graduates of programs delivered through public-private college partnerships (curriculum-licensing arrangements) are no longer PGWP-eligible.
Master's-degree exemption: Master's-degree graduates remain PGWP-eligible regardless of field of study, provided the program is at least 8 months long.

Student Direct Stream (SDS) — closed

IRCC ended the Student Direct Stream (SDS) on November 8, 2024, along with the parallel Nigeria Student Express stream. SDS had offered faster processing for students from 14 source countries (China, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Morocco, Peru, Senegal, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) who met financial and language criteria. Applicants from those countries now use the regular study-permit channel.

Key facts at a glance

Application fee: CAD $150.
Biometrics fee: CAD $85 individual / CAD $170 family.
Cost-of-living minimum (single applicant, outside Quebec, 2025–2026): CAD $20,635 per year (subject to annual updates).
DLI: only Designated Learning Institutions are eligible.
PAL required: yes for most undergraduate and college applicants since January 22, 2024.
Off-campus work hours: 24 hours per week during sessions; full-time on breaks.
PGWP duration: matches program length, max 3 years.
SDS: closed November 8, 2024.

Source attribution

This article rewrites public information published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit.html. The original Government of Canada content is licensed under the Open Government Licence — Canada.

Verify on canada.ca

Study-permit rules — particularly cost-of-living thresholds, PAL requirements, PGWP eligibility, and processing times — change frequently. Verify all details on canada.ca before applying: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit.html.

IRCC.com is an independent news and information aggregator. We are not affiliated with the Government of Canada and do not provide immigration services or advice. For personalized help, contact a CICC-licensed RCIC or a Canadian immigration lawyer.

IRCC.com is independent and not affiliated with the Government of Canada. Verify all details on canada.ca/immigration.