Study Permits

Study Permits Update — June 22, 2026

Monday, June 22, 2026

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

As of January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students at public Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) are exempt from the Provincial/Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) requirement when applying for study permits.

Students in joint programs that lead to a single credential need only one attestation letter, and work permit rules for co-op students are being simplified — IRCC issued a notice on April 9, 2026 about simplifying the co-op work permit requirement for post-secondary international students.

What You Should Do

  • If you are applying for a study permit for a master's or doctoral program at a public DLI, you do NOT need a PAL/TAL as of January 1, 2026. Confirm your institution is on IRCC's eligible public DLI list (to be published at canada.ca/designated-learning-institutions) before submitting your application.
  • If you are an undergraduate or college-level international student, you still require a PAL/TAL from your province or territory. Contact your institution's international student office to initiate the attestation process before applying for your study permit.
  • If you are enrolled in a joint degree program leading to a single credential, confirm with your institution that only one attestation letter is required and obtain it from the appropriate provincial authority before your study permit application.
  • Co-op international students: Review IRCC's April 9, 2026 notice on simplified co-op work permit requirements at canada.ca/ircc-notices to understand whether your co-op work permit process has changed.

Sources

  1. 2026 provincial and territorial allocations under the international student cap - Canada.caOfficial
  2. Applying to Canada in 2026? Two study-permit changes international students need know - The Times of India
  3. Canadian immigration officials move to ease rules around student work permits - ICEF Monitor
  4. Notices — Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship CanadaOfficial

Topics Covered

International Student Cap ReductionStudent Work Authorization SimplificationGraduate Student PAL Exemption

International Student Cap Reduction: Canada's 2026 study permit issuance target of 408,000 is 7% below 2025 and 16% below 2024, part of a sustained reduction to bring the temporary population below 5% of total population by end of 2027.

Student Work Authorization Simplification: IRCC issued a notice on April 9, 2026 simplifying co-op work permit requirements for post-secondary international students, continuing a trend of reducing administrative friction for student workers.

Graduate Student PAL Exemption: Effective January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students at public DLIs are exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement, reducing application barriers for graduate-level international students.

More Study Permits Updates

Study Permits Update — June 25, 2026

Jun 25, 2026

Study Permits Update — June 18, 2026

Jun 18, 2026

Study Permits Update — June 15, 2026

Jun 15, 2026

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