Canada Study Permit 2026/27: PAL, Funds, Biometrics & Steps

To get a Canadian study permit you need a letter of acceptance from a Designated Learning Institution, a provincial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) in most cases or a CAQ for Quebec, proof that you can pay first-year tuition plus CAN$23,448 living costs (one person, applications from 1 September 2026, outside Quebec) and return travel, then you apply online, pay CAN$150 + CAN$85 and give biometrics.

This guide follows the official IRCC pages as of October 2026. The rules changed many times in 2024 to 2026, so open the linked IRCC page before you submit anything.

Who needs a study permit

International students in programs longer than six months need a study permit. To be eligible, IRCC says you must be enrolled at a DLI, prove you can pay tuition, living costs and return transportation, have no criminal record, be in good health and satisfy an officer that you will leave Canada when your permit expires (IRCC eligibility).

The study permit is not a visa. If your passport requires a visitor visa (or an eTA) to enter Canada, IRCC issues it automatically with your study permit approval at no extra cost. Check the IRCC entry requirements for your passport.

Caps and the PAL/TAL

Since 2024, Canada limits the number of study permit applications. For 2026, IRCC expects to issue up to 408,000 study permits, including 155,000 to newly arriving students, and set 309,670 application spaces for applicants who need a PAL/TAL (IRCC notice, 25 November 2025). Provinces share these spaces out through PAL/TALs.

• You usually get the PAL/TAL from your school after you accept the offer and pay tuition in part or in full.
• It must be valid on the day you apply, not on the day your studies start.
• You cannot use a PAL/TAL from a previous cap year. Letters for the 2026 cap year are valid until 31 December 2026 unless an earlier date is shown.
• Each applicant, including family members who apply for a study permit, needs their own.
• Since 22 January 2025, you need a new PAL/TAL to change schools.

Quebec: CAQ instead of PAL/TAL

To study in Quebec, you first need a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ), also for master's and PhD. You apply on Arrima, pay CAN$135 within one hour of completing the form and upload documents within 15 days. Quebec says a decision is made within 25 business days of a complete file in 80% of cases. Quebec also caps CAQ applications per institution from 17 December 2025 to 16 December 2027; applications beyond a school's cap are rejected and the fee refunded (Quebec).

Document checklist

Documents not in English or French need a translation. If the translator is not certified, add an affidavit sworn before an authorised person, and remember that you and your family members may not translate your own documents (IRCC guide 5269). More in Canada documents, translation and legalization.

Proof of funds: how much money to show

On top of this you must show first-year tuition and return transportation. Accepted proof includes a GIC from a Canadian financial institution, bank statements for the past 6 months, receipts for tuition and housing already paid, an education loan, a scholarship, or a letter from the person giving you money with their ID (IRCC financial support). If your program is longer than one year, explain how you will pay for the whole program.

Quebec sets its own amounts: CAN$24,617 for one person for one year from 1 January 2026, plus tuition and round-trip travel (Quebec costs of studies).

Step by step: applying for the study permit

1. 1

   Get your letter of acceptance and PAL/TAL or CAQ

   Check that the PAL/TAL is from the current cap year and valid on the day you will apply.

2. 2

   Book an upfront medical exam if needed

   If you lived 6 months or more in a row in a listed country in the year before coming (Afghanistan and Pakistan are listed), book an IRCC panel physician and upload proof.

3. 3

   Create your IRCC account

   Most applicants must apply online through an IRCC account. Paper is only for people who cannot apply online because of a disability or who hold certain refugee or stateless travel documents.

4. 4

   Upload documents and pay CAN$235

   That is CAN$150 for the study permit plus CAN$85 for biometrics. Fees are not refunded if you are refused (IRCC fee list).

5. 5

   Give biometrics within 30 days

   After the biometric instruction letter, book a visa application centre (VAC) and give fingerprints and a photo. Processing starts once IRCC receives them.

6. 6

   Wait and respond quickly

   IRCC may ask for more documents, a medical exam or a police certificate. Check the official processing times, which vary by visa office.

7. 7

   Send your passport and travel

   If approved, you send your passport for the visa and receive a port-of-entry letter of introduction. The border officer issues your study permit when you arrive.

Health insurance

IRCC does not list health insurance among the study permit documents, because coverage for international students depends on the province. In Quebec it is compulsory for your whole stay: unless a social security agreement gives you RAMQ coverage, you have 5 to 30 days after arrival to buy private insurance or join your school's group plan. Elsewhere, check your school's rules; Memorial University, for example, includes international health insurance (CAN$548) in its 2026/27 fees.

Applying from Afghanistan

Afghan students apply for a regular study permit like everyone else. IRCC says it no longer accepts applications under its special measures for Afghans, and those measures did not cover study permits (IRCC).

• No office in Afghanistan: the Embassy of Canada in Afghanistan has suspended operations; the nearest office for consular services is the High Commission of Canada in Islamabad (travel.gc.ca).
• Visa office: IRCC assigns applications from Afghanistan to its Abu Dhabi office; applicants living in Pakistan are served by Islamabad and those in Iran by Ankara.
• Biometrics: there is no VAC in Afghanistan or Iran. The nearest VACs are in Pakistan (Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore), Tajikistan (Dushanbe), the UAE, Türkiye and India. You may use a VAC in another country only if there is none where you apply from, and you must book an appointment.
• VFS Pakistan: since 7 March 2026, applicants upload their Biometric Instruction Letter and book through VFS Global's system; VFS says booking is free, and optional services are charged in PKR (VFS Global Pakistan).
• Medical exam: Afghanistan is on IRCC's list for stays over 6 months, handled by the New Delhi medical office. Use an IRCC panel physician.
• Police certificate: if requested, Afghans abroad apply at the nearest Afghan embassy or consulate; inside Afghanistan, through the Ministry of the Interior. Afghans living in Pakistan follow IRCC's Pakistan instructions.

Avoid these common problems

• Not convinced you will leave Canada: IRCC requires you to satisfy an officer that you will leave when your permit expires. Explain your study plan, your ties at home and how the program fits your career.
• Weak or unexplained funds: show the full amount for tuition, living costs and travel, with the source of the money.
• Incomplete application: IRCC says incomplete applications are delayed or returned. A missing or expired PAL/TAL is a common problem.
• Letter of acceptance not validated: if your school does not confirm your letter by IRCC's deadline, the application is returned and the fee refunded. Ask your school to confirm it will validate the letter.

After you arrive

Check the conditions on your study permit. If it allows off-campus work and you meet the rules, apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN); you can then work up to 24 hours per week off campus during classes. Since 8 November 2024, you cannot change post-secondary schools on the same study permit, and since 22 January 2025 you need a new PAL/TAL to do so. Read work and stay in Canada after graduation for the PGWP rules, and track deadlines for free on FindUniPath or visit the Canada country hub.