Canada has announced further reductions in international study permits for 2026 as part of its strategy to lower the proportion of temporary residents to under 5% by the end of 2027. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) plans to issue a total of 408,000 study permits next year, including 155,000 new permits for incoming international students and 253,000 extensions for current or returning students. This represents a 7% decrease from 2025 and 16% below the 2024 target, reflecting Canada’s effort to manage growth while aligning the International Student Program with national priorities.
A major change will be the exemption of the Provincial or Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) requirement for master’s and doctoral students at publicly designated learning institutions (DLIs) starting January 1, 2026. This exemption acknowledges the importance of graduate research in innovation and long-term national development. Eligible students include master’s and doctoral candidates at public DLIs, primary and secondary school students, government priority and vulnerable groups, and current permit holders renewing at the same DLI and level. Approximately 49,000 graduate students are expected to benefit from this change.
For the remaining 180,000 permits that will still require PAL/TAL, allocations are highest for Ontario and Quebec due to their larger student populations and number of institutions. Other provinces and territories will receive smaller allocations based on population and historical approval rates. The maximum number of applications accepted from PAL/TAL-required students in 2026 will be 309,670, with Ontario allocated 70,074 permits, Quebec 39,474, British Columbia 24,786, and Alberta 21,582, among others.
These adjustments highlight Canada’s focus on balancing international student growth with national priorities while streamlining processes for graduate students to support research and innovation.
