Study Permits Update — August 10, 2026
Monday, August 10, 2026
IRCC expects to issue up to 408,000 study permits in 2026 — 155,000 to newly arriving international students and 253,000 extensions — a 7% drop from 2025 and 16% drop from 2024 targets.
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 a study permit.
A temporary policy allowing certain work permit holders to study without a study permit expires June 27, 2026; studying under this exemption does not count toward PGWP eligibility or CRS work-experience points.
What You Should Do
- If you are a master's or PhD student applying for a study permit at a public DLI, confirm your institution appears on the upcoming eligible public DLI list at canada.ca before submitting your application — you do not need a PAL/TAL as of January 1, 2026.
- If you have been studying on the strength of a work permit under the temporary public policy (in effect since June 27, 2023), you must obtain a valid study permit before June 27, 2026 to remain in compliance and preserve PGWP eligibility. Consult a regulated immigration consultant immediately.
- If you plan to apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, verify you held a valid study permit throughout your studies — time spent studying under the work-permit exemption does not count. Review PGWP eligibility requirements at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/work/after-graduation.html.
- Prospective international students should confirm their chosen institution is a public DLI and that their program falls under an eligible field for PGWP purposes, as private 'licensed' colleges are not PGWP-eligible under 2026 rules.
Sources
Topics Covered
Student Work Authorization Simplification: A temporary policy permitting work permit holders to study without a study permit expires June 27, 2026; students who studied under this exemption are not eligible for a PGWP and those credits do not count toward CRS work-experience points.
International Student Cap Reduction: IRCC has set the 2026 study permit issuance target at 408,000 — down 7% from 2025 and 16% from 2024 — as part of an ongoing effort to reduce Canada's temporary population below 5% of total population by end of 2027.
Graduate Student PAL Exemption: Effective January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students applying to public DLIs are exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement, recognizing their contributions to Canada's economic growth and innovation.
More Study Permits Updates
Study Permits Update — August 13, 2026
Aug 13, 2026
Study Permits Update — August 3, 2026
Aug 3, 2026
Study Permits Update — July 30, 2026
Jul 30, 2026
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