Canada Study Permit: CAD 150 Application Guide

What is a Canada Study Permit?

A study permit is not a visa but an authorisation to study in Canada. Most international students need one to attend a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). Depending on your nationality, you will also need a visitor visa or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canada — IRCC issues this automatically alongside an approved study permit.

Key facts (verified against canada.ca on 4 September 2026):

• Fee: CAD 150 per person, plus CAD 85 for biometrics
• Processing: varies by country — use IRCC's processing-time tool rather than relying on a general estimate
• Allows study at any Designated Learning Institution
• Work rights: up to 24 hours per week off campus during regular academic sessions

Who needs a study permit?

You need a study permit if your programme is longer than six months. According to IRCC, you do not need one for:

• Programmes of six months or less
• Family members or staff of accredited foreign representatives
• Members of foreign armed forces on official duty

Step 1: Get accepted at a DLI

Before applying for a study permit, you must be accepted at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI).

What to do:

1. 1Research DLIs on the IRCC website
2. 2Apply to your chosen programme
3. 3Receive a letter of acceptance
4. 4Note your DLI number (starts with 'O')

Your letter of acceptance is the most important document — you cannot apply without it.

Step 2: Get your provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL)

Canada caps the number of study permit applications it will process each year. For 2026, IRCC's notice of 25 November 2025 sets 309,670 application spaces under the cap, and expects to issue around 155,000 permits to newly arriving students (408,000 including extensions) — about 7% fewer than the 2025 target.

Each province and territory receives an allocation and issues attestation letters to its share of applicants. If you are in a capped category, IRCC will not process your application without a PAL/TAL. In most cases you need to accept your offer and pay some or all of your tuition before your school will request one for you.

Who is exempt from the PAL/TAL in 2026 (per IRCC):

• Master's and doctoral students at public DLIs (exempt from 1 January 2026)
• Primary and secondary (K-12) students
• Certain Government of Canada priority groups and vulnerable populations
• Current permit holders extending at the same institution and study level

If you are studying in Quebec, you need a Certificat d'acceptation du Québec (CAQ) instead, issued by the Quebec government.

Step 3: Check financial requirements

You must show you can pay for:

• Tuition: the amount on your letter of acceptance
• Living expenses: IRCC's cost-of-living figure (below)
• Return transportation: funds to travel home

Cost-of-living figures from 1 September 2026

IRCC adjusts the living-expenses requirement each year against Statistics Canada's low-income cut-off. For applications received on or after 1 September 2026, IRCC's published figures for provinces and territories outside Quebec are:

The single-applicant figure was CAD 22,895 for applications received between 1 January 2025 and 31 August 2026. If you prepared your bank statements over the summer against the old number, you are now roughly CAD 550 short on paper — top up before you submit rather than after IRCC asks.

Quebec sets its own financial thresholds as part of the CAQ process; check the Quebec immigration ministry's current figures rather than the IRCC table.

Acceptable financial proof:

• Bank statements in your name
• Bank draft or certified cheque
• Proof of scholarship or funding
• Letter from a sponsor (with their bank statements)
• Education loan approval letter
• Proof of a Canadian bank account in your name, if funds have been transferred

See our bank statement guide for how to present these.

Step 4: Prepare documents

Required documents

• Valid passport
• Letter of acceptance from your DLI
• PAL/TAL (unless exempt) or CAQ for Quebec
• Proof of financial support
• Passport-size photographs
• Immigration medical exam results (if required)
• Police clearance certificate (if required)
• Statement of purpose explaining why you chose Canada
• Proof of English or French proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL, TEF), where your school or IRCC asks for it

Step 5: Apply online

1. 1Create an account on the IRCC online portal
2. 2Complete the application form
3. 3Upload all supporting documents
4. 4Pay the CAD 150 application fee
5. 5Pay the CAD 85 biometrics fee (CAD 170 maximum for a family applying together)
6. 6Submit your application

Step 6: Provide biometrics

After submitting your application:

1. 1You will receive a Biometric Instruction Letter
2. 2Book an appointment at a Visa Application Centre (VAC)
3. 3Provide fingerprints and a photo within 30 days
4. 4Biometrics are valid for 10 years

Step 7: Attend a medical exam (if required)

Some applicants need a medical exam from a designated panel physician. Check whether your country of residence, or your intended field (for example, health care or work with children), requires one.

Step 8: Receive a decision

• Approved: you receive a Port of Entry (POE) Letter of Introduction
• Refused: you receive reasons for refusal
• Additional documents: IRCC may request more information

Bring the POE letter when you travel to Canada. Your actual study permit is issued at the border.

Working while studying

On-campus work

• No separate work permit needed
• Must be a full-time student with a valid study permit

Off-campus work

• Up to 24 hours per week during regular academic sessions
• Full-time during scheduled breaks
• Your study permit must include the off-campus work condition, and your programme must be at least six months long and lead to a degree, diploma or certificate

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)

After completing your studies you may be eligible for a PGWP. According to IRCC's current eligibility rules:

• Your programme must be at least eight months long (900 hours in Quebec)
• Apply within 180 days of confirmation that you completed your programme
• PGWP length generally tracks programme length, up to three years
• Language proof is required: CLB 7 for university degree graduates, CLB 5 for college and polytechnic graduates
• Graduates of programmes other than a bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree must have studied in an eligible field of study if their study permit application was submitted on or after 1 November 2024

These rules have changed several times since 2024, so re-check the PGWP eligibility page before you finish your course.

Common refusal reasons

1. 1Insufficient funds: financial documents did not demonstrate the ability to pay — including applications assessed against the higher 1 September 2026 figure
2. 2Weak study plan: purpose of study unclear or not aligned with your background
3. 3Immigration intent: the officer is not satisfied you will leave Canada at the end of your studies
4. 4Incomplete application: missing documents, or a missing PAL/TAL where one is required
5. 5DLI issues: institution not designated, or problems with the letter of acceptance

Tips for a stronger application

1. 1Strong statement of purpose — explain why you chose this programme and how it fits your career plans. Our cover letter guide covers structure.
2. 2Clear financial proof — show funds are accessible, in your name or a sponsor's, and meet the current IRCC figure
3. 3Ties to home — demonstrate reasons to return (family, property, job prospects)
4. 4Complete application — double-check every document before submitting
5. 5Apply early — processing times vary significantly by country, and cap-related PAL/TAL steps add time at the start