Study Permits Update — May 30, 2026
Saturday, May 30, 2026
Canada's 2026 study permit issuance target is set at 408,000 (155,000 new arrivals + 253,000 extensions), 7% lower than 2025 and 16% lower than 2024, as part of a continuing reduction in the international student cap.
As of January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students at publicly-funded designated learning institutions (DLIs) are exempt from the provincial/territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) requirement.
As of February 6, 2026, students in joint programs spanning multiple DLIs or provinces only need a single PAL/TAL, replacing the previous requirement for one per institution and province.
What You Should Do
- If you are applying for a master's or doctoral study permit at a publicly-funded DLI, you do not need to obtain a PAL/TAL — confirm your institution's DLI status on the IRCC designated learning institutions list at canada.ca/dli-list before submitting your application.
- If you are enrolling in a joint program across multiple institutions or provinces, confirm with your primary DLI that a single PAL/TAL is sufficient under the February 6, 2026 updated instructions — request the PAL/TAL only from your primary institution.
- If you are an international student planning post-graduation work, verify that your program is at a PGWP-eligible institution before enrolling — private 'licensed' colleges are not PGWP-eligible under 2026 rules. Check the PGWP-eligible programs list at canada.ca/pgwp.
Sources
Topics Covered
International Student Cap Reduction: The 2026 study permit issuance target of 408,000 represents a continued year-over-year reduction (down 7% from 2025, 16% from 2024), with the number of study permit holders already having dropped from over 1 million in January 2024 to about 725,000 by September 2025.
Graduate Student PAL Exemption: Effective January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students at publicly-funded DLIs are exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement. A February 6, 2026 update also reduced joint-program students to needing only a single PAL/TAL regardless of how many DLIs or provinces are involved.
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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