How to Get a Study Permit in Canada
You need an acceptance letter from a designated learning institution (DLI) and, for most new applicants, a provincial attestation letter (PAL). You must show $23,448 for first-year living costs outside Quebec, plus tuition and travel to and from Canada. You apply to IRCC, the fee is $150, and an officer decides.
A Canadian study permit is a document issued under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and IRPR that authorizes a foreign national to study at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in Canada. Most programs of study longer than 6 months require a study permit. As of January 2024, undergraduate and college applicants at most institutions must provide a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) from their province or territory to obtain a study permit, a major change driven by Canada's study permit cap. Financial requirements include demonstrating access to at least $23,448 CAD (single applicant outside Quebec, for applications made on or after September 1, 2026) for living expenses, plus full tuition, for the first year of study.
Check Your Visa Requirement First
International students also need a valid travel document to enter Canada. Find out if your nationality requires a visa or eTA.
Check visa requirements, it's freeDesignated Learning Institutions (DLIs)
You can only study in Canada on a study permit if your school is a Designated Learning Institution, a school approved by a provincial or territorial government to host international students. The full list of DLIs is published on the IRCC website, and you can search it by keyword, such as the school's name or city.
Your official acceptance letter (letter of acceptance or LOA) must be from a DLI and must be included in your study permit application. Acceptance from a non-DLI institution does not qualify for a study permit.
Since November 8, 2024, you can no longer change schools on the same study permit. If you change institutions after arriving in Canada, the new institution must also be a DLI, and you apply to extend your study permit for it, with a letter explaining the change and, in most cases, a new PAL. Your permit requires you to enrol at the DLI named in it (IRPR s.220.1(1)(a)).
Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL): Since January 2024
Effective January 22, 2024, IRCC introduced a requirement for most new college and undergraduate study permit applicants to provide a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) from their province or territory. This was part of Canada's cap on the number of study permit applications IRCC accepts into processing each year, a national cap whose permit target IRCC distributes to provinces and territories by population.
Who needs a PAL:
- • Most undergraduate and college-level students applying for a study permit, from outside or inside Canada
- • Students at language schools and many private career colleges
Who is exempt from the PAL requirement:
- ✓ Master's and doctoral (PhD) students in a degree-granting program at a public DLI: PAL not required (exemption in effect since January 1, 2026; Quebec uses its CAQ instead)
- ✓ Students already in Canada extending their study permit at the same DLI and level of study
- ✓ Students enrolled in primary or secondary school (K to 12)
- ✓ Students whose program is 6 months or less (no study permit required at all)
- ✓ Protected persons, and people in Canada who applied for permanent residence on humanitarian grounds, under a public policy, or in the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class
The province or territory where you plan to study issues the PAL, and your school tells you how to apply for it. In most cases you must accept your offer and pay your tuition, in part or in full, to get it. Contact your school's international student office to confirm PAL availability before applying.
$23,448
Financial Requirements
You must demonstrate that you have access to sufficient funds to cover your studies and living expenses in Canada. The IRCC minimum for the first year is:
First year living-cost requirement (outside Quebec):
$23,448 CAD for living expenses + full first-year tuition + transportation to and from Canada
The single-applicant living-cost figure (outside Quebec) is $23,448 for applications made on or after September 1, 2026; IRCC adjusts it annually, so confirm the current amount on canada.ca.
Additional amounts generally apply for accompanying family members, and Quebec sets its own amounts. IRCC updates the required amounts each year, so confirm the current figures for your family size on canada.ca before you apply.
Acceptable evidence of funds includes bank statements for the past 6 months (including the month you apply or the month before, with documents showing where the money came from), proof of a student or education loan from a bank, scholarship or award letters, proof of paid tuition, or a letter from a financial sponsor with supporting documents. IRCC assesses the funds and their source, and confirms they are available to you.
Work Rights on a Study Permit
Off-Campus Work (24 Hours/Week)
Eligible study permit holders whose permit carries a condition allowing off-campus work may work off campus up to 24 hours per week during scheduled academic sessions, without a work permit (IRPR s.186(v)). To qualify:
- ✓ You must be enrolled full-time at a DLI at the post-secondary level
- ✓ Your study permit must have a condition printed on it that allows off-campus work (check your permit conditions)
- ✓ During scheduled breaks (winter break, summer break), you may work full-time
Note: The off-campus limit during academic sessions was raised to 24 hours per week (from 20) on November 8, 2024. Always check your permit conditions and the current IRCC policy on canada.ca for the exact hours permitted.
On-Campus Work
Full-time study permit holders at eligible DLIs may work on campus for their school or for businesses on campus without a separate work permit and with no hour restriction under IRPR R186(f).
Co-op Work Permits
As of April 1, 2026, post-secondary students don't need a co-op work permit for a work placement that is required to complete their program, if their permit's conditions allow on-campus work, their DLI confirms the requirement in a letter, and the placement totals 50% or less of the program. There is no weekly hour limit for the placement. Secondary students still need a co-op work permit, and current co-op work permit holders can keep using theirs.
SDS vs Regular Stream
The Student Direct Stream (SDS), launched in 2018, was a faster processing stream for post-secondary study permit applicants who were legal residents of certain countries (including India, China, Philippines, Vietnam, and others) and met upfront requirements. SDS applicants had to show their first year's tuition was paid, a GIC (Guaranteed Investment Certificate) in the required amount and a language test result; outside Quebec the GIC amount was $10,000 CAD before January 1, 2024 and $20,635 CAD on or after, until the stream ended.
On November 8, 2024, IRCC ended the SDS program (along with the Nigeria Student Express stream), citing program integrity and fairness. All study permit applicants are now processed under the regular stream, though processing times may vary by country of application.
PGWP and the Pathway to Permanent Residence
The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is one route from studying to working to permanent residence in Canada. Graduates of eligible programs at eligible DLIs can obtain an open work permit for up to 3 years, work for almost any employer in Canada, accumulate skilled work experience in Canada, and then apply for permanent residence through the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) stream in Express Entry. For PGWP applications made on or after November 1, 2024, applicants must meet a language requirement (CLB/NCLC 7 for university programs, CLB/NCLC 5 for college and other non-university programs). If you applied for your study permit on or after November 1, 2024, any program other than a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree must also be in an eligible field of study linked to jobs in long-term shortage. Confirm the current eligibility criteria and field-of-study list on canada.ca.
Key PGWP facts:
- ✓ Apply within 180 days of confirmation that you completed your program of study
- ✓ Length depends on the program: up to the program's length for 8 months to under 2 years, 3 years for programs of 2 years or more and for eligible master's degrees, and never past your passport's expiry
- ✓ For PGWP applications on or after November 1, 2024: language requirement (CLB/NCLC 7 university, CLB/NCLC 5 college and other programs); if your study permit was applied for on or after that date, a field-of-study requirement for every program other than a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree
- ✓ Issued once; the one extension IRCC describes is for a permit cut short by passport expiry
- ✓ CEC requires 1 year of skilled Canadian work experience (NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3), or the same amount part time (1,560 hours), in the 3 years before you apply
- ✓ Some provincial nominee programs have streams for recent graduates of their own schools
Find your NOC code to confirm your occupation qualifies, use our free NOC Finder.
Every guide on study permits
Part of: Studying in Canada
Guides
- How to Study in Canada: Complete Study Permit Guide 2026
- Study Permit Proof of Funds 2026: How Much Money You Need
- Canada Student Visa for Indian Students: 2026 Guide
- Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) for a Study Permit
- Working While Studying in Canada: Rules & Limits
- Can International Students Work in Canada? Off-Campus Work Rules
- Canada Study Permit Refused: What to Do Next
- Study Permit Refusal Reasons: How to Avoid a Rejection
- GIC for a Canada Study Permit
- How to Choose a DLI in Canada: What Students Need to Know
- SDS Is Gone: What Replaced the Student Direct Stream
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a Canada study permit take to process?
It depends on where you apply. IRCC's current estimate is ~6 weeks (varies by country) for a study permit from outside Canada, and 8 weeks from inside Canada. An extension takes 53 days. A given country can run far above the median, and the PAL from your school has to come first. Check the current time for your country before you book travel.
Go deeper: Current IRCC processing times
What documents do I need for a Canada study permit?
You need a letter of acceptance from a DLI, a provincial attestation letter if you are a new applicant who needs one, and proof of funds. Proof can be bank statements, a student or education loan from a bank, scholarship letters, paid tuition receipts or a sponsor letter with bank records. You also need a valid passport and, in most cases, biometrics at $85.
Go deeper: Document checklist
How much money do I need for a Canada study permit?
A single applicant outside Quebec must show $23,448 for first-year living costs, for applications made on or after September 1, 2026. First-year tuition and travel to and from Canada come on top of that. Each family member who comes with you adds more, and Quebec sets its own amounts. IRCC adjusts the amount each year, so confirm it before you apply.
Go deeper: Study permit financial requirements
Do I need a study permit for a short course?
Generally no, when the program lasts 6 months or less and ends within the stay you were authorized on entry. You can study as a visitor. If you might move into a longer program afterwards, you can apply for a study permit before you come (IRPR s.188(2)); a visitor can apply from inside Canada only in the cases IRPR s.215 lists. Without a study permit you can't work while you study, so a short course gives you no off-campus work rights. Programs longer than 6 months need a study permit.
Go deeper: Work and study rules for visitors
How do I extend my study permit in Canada?
Apply online from inside Canada before your current permit expires. If you do, you keep maintained status and can keep studying under the same conditions while IRCC decides. IRCC's current estimate for an extension is 53 days. The application must show you still meet the study permit requirements, including acceptance and funds (IRPR s.216, s.220), and you pay the $150 fee. A PAL is not needed for an extension at the same DLI and level of study.
Go deeper: Maintained status explained
Can I work while studying in Canada?
Yes, if you study full time at a post-secondary DLI and your permit allows it. You can work off campus up to 24 hours a week during academic sessions and full time during scheduled breaks. On-campus work has no hour limit. If you drop below full-time status, except in your final session, you can lose the right to work.
Go deeper: Working while studying in Canada
Can I change my school or program after getting a study permit?
Yes, with a new application. Since November 8, 2024, you can no longer change schools on the same study permit: you apply to extend your study permit for the new school, with a letter explaining the change and, in most cases, a new PAL. The new school must also be a DLI. Changing your level of study also needs a new PAL in most cases. Your permit requires you to enrol at the DLI named in it.
Go deeper: How to choose a DLI
Can my family members work in Canada while I study?
Some can. Since January 21, 2025, a spousal open work permit is generally limited to partners of students in a master's program of at least 16 months, a doctoral program, or some professional programs. Partners of most undergraduate and college students no longer qualify. Dependent children can attend school as visitors or with their own study permits.
Go deeper: Spousal open work permits
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