Study Permits

Study Permits Update — April 16, 2026

Thursday, April 16, 2026

Effective January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students enrolled at public designated learning institutions (DLIs) no longer need a provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) to apply for a study permit.

For 2026, IRCC expects to issue up to 408,000 study permits — 7% lower than the 2025 target of 437,000 and 16% lower than 2024's target of 485,000 — continuing the government's effort to reduce Canada's temporary population below 5% of total population by end of 2027.

Effective April 1, 2026, eligible post-secondary international students no longer need a separate co-op work permit to participate in mandatory work placements (e.g., co-ops, internships); their study permit alone is sufficient.

What You Should Do

  • If you are a master's or doctoral student applying to a public DLI in Canada, confirm your institution is on IRCC's eligible public DLI list (to be published at canada.ca) before applying — you can submit your study permit application without a PAL/TAL as of January 1, 2026.
  • If you are a current international student with a mandatory co-op or internship in your program, verify with your DLI that your employer is approved by the institution — as of April 1, 2026, your existing study permit covers the placement and no separate co-op work permit is needed.
  • If you have a pending co-op work permit application that was submitted before April 1, 2026, take no action — IRCC has stated it will automatically withdraw all eligible active co-op work permit applications.
  • Prospective undergraduate international students should check 2026 provincial/territorial study permit allocation levels at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/2026-provincial-territorial-allocations-under-international-student-cap.html, as the national cap has been tightened and spot availability varies by province.

Sources

  1. 2026 provincial and territorial allocations under the international student cap - Canada.caOfficial
  2. Simplifying the co-op work permit requirement for post-secondary international students - Canada.caOfficial
  3. New Canada Study Permit Rules 2026 – Full Guide For International Students - Visarete

Topics Covered

International Student Cap ReductionGraduate Student PAL ExemptionStudent Work Authorization Simplification

International Student Cap Reduction: The 2026 study permit issuance target is 408,000 — down 7% from 2025 and 16% from 2024 — reflecting Canada's commitment to reducing its temporary resident population to below 5% of total population by end of 2027.

Graduate Student PAL Exemption: As of January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students at public DLIs are exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement when applying for a study permit, simplifying the application process for graduate-level applicants.

Student Work Authorization Simplification: Effective April 1, 2026, post-secondary international students with mandatory co-op or internship requirements no longer need a separate co-op work permit; their study permit now covers the placement.

More Study Permits Updates

Study Permits Update — June 11, 2026

Jun 11, 2026

Study Permits Update — June 8, 2026

Jun 8, 2026

Study Permits Update — June 4, 2026

Jun 4, 2026

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