Study Permits Update — May 28, 2026
Thursday, May 28, 2026
As of January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students at publicly-funded designated learning institutions (DLIs) no longer need a provincial/territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) with their study permit application.
Students in joint programs involving multiple DLIs or provinces now only need a single PAL/TAL, under new IRCC processing instructions published February 6, 2026.
Canada's 2026 international student cap targets up to 408,000 study permit issuances — 7% lower than 2025 and 16% lower than 2024 — as IRCC works to reduce the temporary population below 5% of Canada's total population by end of 2027.
What You Should Do
- If you are a master's or doctoral student applying to a publicly-funded DLI, confirm with your institution that it is on the DLI list at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit/prepare/designated-learning-institutions-list.html before submitting your study permit without a PAL/TAL.
- If you are in a joint program spanning multiple DLIs or provinces, request a single PAL/TAL from your primary DLI — you no longer need separate letters from each institution, per IRCC instructions updated February 6, 2026.
- If you are applying for restoration of status as a student, note that a new PAL/TAL is still required — obtain one from your DLI before submitting your restoration application through the IRCC portal at canada.ca.
- Given the 7% reduction in the 2026 study permit cap versus 2025, apply for your study permit as early as possible and ensure your application is complete to avoid processing delays.
Sources
Topics Covered
International Student Cap Reduction: The 2026 cap targets 408,000 study permit issuances — down 7% from 2025 and 16% from 2024 — as part of IRCC's goal to reduce study permit holders from over 1 million in January 2024 to below the 5% temporary population threshold by end of 2027.
Graduate Student PAL Exemption: Effective January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students at publicly-funded DLIs are exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement, and IRCC's February 6 instructions confirmed this exemption is now embedded in officer processing workflows.
Student Work Authorization Simplification: The single PAL/TAL rule for joint-program students simplifies the application process by eliminating the need for separate attestation letters from each province or institution involved in a multi-site program.
More Study Permits Updates
Study Permits Update — June 8, 2026
Jun 8, 2026
Study Permits Update — June 4, 2026
Jun 4, 2026
Study Permits Update — June 1, 2026
Jun 1, 2026
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