Over the past few weeks, there have been a lot of changes in Canadian policies regarding international students. The Canadian government has announced that there will be a cap on the number of new study permits issued to international students in 2024 and 2025. However, this limit will not apply to some graduate programs (Masters and PhD) and K-12 programs. We understand this news is important to many readers applying to study in Canada. We are sharing further developments and will keep you informed of more updates. In this article, more provinces update their Provincial Attestation Letters Numbers.
More Provinces can now issue Provincial Attestation Letter
All Canadian provinces have now distributed their allocation of study permit applications for 2024 and are issuing provincial attestation letters (PALs). Those affected students can now resume study permit processing across all provinces. IRCC announced plans to allocate around 606,000 study permit applications across all provinces and territories. The goal is to grant approximately 360,000 new study permits to commencing students in 2024 (excluding those enrolled in K-12 or masters/doctoral programmes). Based on provincial disclosures thus far, the following allocations are in place for new study permit applications in 2024.
Provincial allocations and PAL status in Quebec
With few exemptions, all Quebec-bound study permit applicants must submit an attestation of issuance of a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) from the Ministère de l’Immigration de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) when applying for a study permit. The attestation of issuance of a CAQ may be issued for a maximum validity of 49 months by the length of the program of study. On March 15, 2023, the MIFI stopped issuing paper Quebec Acceptance Certificates (CAQ) to students accepted for temporary selection for studies. MIFI now issues an attestation of issuance of a CAQ (letter 715) to English-speaking students and an attestation of issuance of a CAQ (letter 315) to French-speaking students, replacing the confirmation letter.
While not much information is currently available regarding receiving a PAL in Quebec, IRCC has confirmed that a Certificat d’Acceptation du Quebec (CAQ) can function as a PAL if the document contains the following line: This attestation letter confirms that the applicant has a place in Quebec share of the distribution of study permit applications or is exempt from it. A CAQ is a document by the Quebec provincial government to certify that an applicant has met the admission requirement. International students must submit a CAQ (in addition to a Letter of acceptance) as part of their application for a study permit.
Provincial allocations status in Ontario
The Ontario government announced a new plan for allocating study permits. The key takeaway is that public colleges and universities will receive 96% of Ontario study permit applications. What this means is that fewer spots are available for private institutions. Ontario has 235,000 study permits. Read more.
Provincial Attestation Letters status in British Columbia
British Columbia (B.C.) has 83,000 study permits under their provincial allocation from the federal study cap. The province says that 53% of PALs will be for public post-secondary institutions, and the remaining 47% will go to private institutions. Under the B.C. system, DLIs will issue PALs to international students with LOAs. Students may then use both these documents to apply for their study permit.
Provincial Attestation Letters status in Alberta
Alberta has announced 41,000 study permit allocations and has begun to issue PALs through DLIs. Under the Alberta system, students will first receive LOAs, and (once they have committed to attending that specific school) DLIs will then request PALs on behalf of the students to the Alberta provincial government. Once issued, students will use the PAL and LOA to apply for their study permit.
Provincial allocations and PAL status in Manitoba
Manitoba launched its PAL system on March 4. However, there is not much information from the provincial government. As with other provincial systems, students must inquire with their chosen DLI about the specific process of receiving a PAL from the government. More information will be available here once announced publicly.
Provincial allocations and PAL status in Saskatchewan
As of March 13, Saskatchewan has launched its PAL system. Students should inquire with their selected DLI to find out how to apply for a PAL in Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan has approximately 12,000 PALs to distribute to future international students in 2024. The province also started issuing provincial attestation letters to eligible post-secondary institutions on March 13, 2024.
Provincial allocations and PAL status in New Brunswick
New Brunswick started its PAL program on March 18. To find out how to obtain a PAL, students should contact their DLIs. Some schools in N.B. currently require international students to pay a deposit fee of up to $4,000 or $8,000 after receiving an LOA. After receiving this deposit, schools will apply for a PAL on behalf of the student.
PAL system in Newfoundland and Labrador
As of March 19, Newfoundland and Labrador have started issuing PALs through their system. Students must inquire with their chosen school in the province about how to receive a PAL.
Provincial Attestation Letters Update for other provinces
Some provinces are already issuing Provincial Attestation Letters (PALs) to international students. All provinces had until March 31, 2024, to implement their PAL delivery systems. We will update this page with information on the progress of other provinces.
Nova Scotia Limits Study Permit for 2024-2025… Read more
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Canadian cap on new study permits for 2024 and 2025 has significantly impacted the application process. While some graduate and K-12 programs remain exempt, all provinces have established their Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) systems. Each province has its procedure for distributing PALs, so prospective students should contact their chosen Designated Learning Institution (DLI) for specific details. We will continue to update this article with the latest developments on provincial PAL programs. Ready to start your study visa applications? Click here.
