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Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) — Mandatory for Most Study Permits
Effective: January 22, 2024 (initial); expanded January 22, 2025; partial graduate exemption January 1, 2026
TL;DR
A Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL) is now required for most study permit applications, confirming the applicant is included in the province's intake cap. Public-DLI Master's and PhD applicants were exempted again on January 1, 2026.
What changed
- PAL/TAL required for most study permit applications since January 2024.
- Requirement extended to Master's and PhD applicants in January 2025.
- Public-DLI Master's and PhD students exempted again from January 1, 2026.
- Each province controls its own PAL allocation under federal cap.
Who is affected
All international study permit applicants except K-12, exchange students, and (from 2026) public-DLI graduate students.
Source: View on canada.ca →
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