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Canada set the 2026 international study permit cap at approximately 408,000 — a 7% drop from 2025 — with a national cap of roughly 155,000 new study permits; Master's and PhD students at public universities are now exempt from the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) requirement.
A national study permit cap of approximately 155,000 is in effect for 2026. Master's and PhD students at public universities are officially exempt from the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) requirement as of January 1, 2026.
Canada's national study permit cap for 2026 is approximately 155,000; Provincial Attestation Letters (PALs) or Territorial Attestation Letters (TALs) are required for most public post-secondary institutions, with exemptions for Master's and PhD students and those extending a degree at the same level.
Canada's 2026 international student cap allows up to 408,000 study permits to be issued (155,000 to new arrivals, 253,000 extensions), which is 7% lower than 2025 targets and 16% lower than 2024.
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.
Starting January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students enrolled at publicly-funded designated learning institutions (DLIs) are exempt from the provincial/territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) requirement when applying for a study permit.
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.
Effective 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 for study permit applications.
As of February 6, 2026, students in joint programs spanning multiple designated learning institutions (DLIs) or provinces now only need a single Provincial/Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL), not one per institution or province.
Canada has cut study permit targets by nearly 50% in 2026 compared to the previous year, continuing a steady tightening of international student rules since early 2024, with Provincial Attestation Letters (PALs) still required for most applicants.
Canada's national study permit cap for 2026 is approximately 155,000, continuing the reduction trend from prior years, with sharp declines in international student numbers reported.
Canada's 2026 study permit target is 408,000 (including 155,000 new arrivals and 253,000 renewals), down 7% from 2025 and 16% from 2024, as part of a plan to reduce the temporary resident population below 5% of Canada's total population by end of 2027.
Canada's 2026 international student cap is set at 408,000 study permits (new arrivals plus renewals), down from both 2024 and 2025 levels, as IRCC aims to reduce the temporary resident population below 5% of Canada's total population by end of 2027.
Canada's 2026 study permit cap is set at 408,000 — lower than both 2024 and 2025 — as part of IRCC's goal to reduce the temporary resident population below 5% of Canada's total population by end of 2027.
Canada has set a national study permit cap of approximately 155,000 for 2026, and a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL) is required for most public institution applicants — exceptions include Master's and PhD students at public universities, K-12 students, and those extending a degree at the same level.
For 2026, IRCC plans to issue up to 408,000 study permits (155,000 to new students, 253,000 extensions), which is 7% lower than the 2025 target of 437,000 and 16% lower than the 2024 target of 485,000.
Effective January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students at public designated learning institutions are exempt from the Provincial/Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) requirement and are not counted against Canada's national study permit cap, with two-week processing times available.
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.
Starting 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 and are no longer counted against the national study-permit cap, with two-week processing available.
Master's and doctoral students at public institutions are exempt from Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) requirements starting January 1, 2026, and not counted against the national cap