Canada will simplify study permit applications for master’s and PhD students from January 2026 by removing provincial attestation letter requirements, while simultaneously imposing tighter controls on overall international student arrivals.
Canada will ease study permit requirements for advanced-degree international students starting January 2026 by removing the provincial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) requirement for master’s and PhD applicants at public Designated Learning Institutions, a move aimed at “simplifying the application process” while maintaining stricter limits on overall student inflows. The PAL/TAL system, introduced to help provinces manage rising numbers, had created delays and added complexity, but will no longer apply to postgraduate students, K–12 pupils, certain government-priority groups, and current permit holders seeking extensions.
Under the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, Canada expects to issue up to 408,000 permits in 2026, representing a 7% drop from 2025 and a 16% decline from 2024, though master’s and PhD students will remain exempt from the cap and benefit from faster processing, including a 14-day window for doctoral applicants. With targets of 155,000 new arrivals in 2026 and 150,000 in both 2027 and 2028, the policy reflects a dual approach that tightens control over total numbers while positioning Canada as a more welcoming destination for high-skilled researchers and postgraduate students.