Canada study permits and PGWP: plan before choosing a program

Study permits and PGWP at a glance

Most foreign nationals need a study permit for a Canadian program longer than six months. A study permit is temporary status and does not guarantee entry, permission to work, a Post-Graduation Work Permit or permanent residence.

Two different decisions

Approval at the first stage does not promise approval at the second. Program eligibility can also change, so save the official DLI and program information you relied on when making your decision.

Choose the school and program carefully

A designated learning institution is approved by a province or territory to host international students. For post-secondary study, confirm the school’s DLI number on the official federal list and open the institution’s details to check PGWP information.

• Confirm the exact campus, credential, delivery method and program length.
• Ask the school for the six-digit Classification of Instructional Programs code when a PGWP field-of-study rule may apply.
• Check whether the program is delivered through a curriculum-licensing or public-private partnership arrangement.
• Confirm how much of the program is online, outside Canada or delivered by another institution.
• Get tuition, refund, deferral and withdrawal terms in writing.

Basic study-permit eligibility

You generally need to be enrolled at a DLI and prove that you can pay tuition, living expenses and return transportation for yourself and accompanying family members. You must obey Canadian law, meet health and admissibility requirements and satisfy the officer that you will leave Canada when your authorized stay ends.

Your application should explain why this specific program makes sense in light of your education, employment history and future plans. A logical study plan does not replace the legal requirements, but unexplained changes in level, subject, career direction or study gaps can create questions.

PAL, TAL and Quebec requirements

Many study-permit applicants need a provincial attestation letter or territorial attestation letter. Some groups are exempt, but they must provide evidence that the exception applies. As of 2026, applicants to qualifying degree-granting master’s or doctoral programs at public DLIs may fall under a specific PAL/TAL exception.

Quebec has a separate provincial process and many students need a Quebec Acceptance Certificate. Follow both Quebec and federal instructions and do not assume that a CAQ or another provincial document by itself guarantees the federal study permit.

Financial support must work without Canadian employment

IRCC requires proof that you can cover tuition, living expenses and transportation without relying on work in Canada. You must show available resources for the first year and explain how longer programs will be funded for their full duration.

Required living-expense amounts can change and Quebec uses its own financial rules. Use the official table that applies on the date you submit rather than an old blog post or school estimate.

Evidence may include tuition receipts, bank records, a student loan, a guaranteed investment certificate, scholarship documents or support from another person. The documents should show where the money came from, that it is genuinely available and how the plan is sustainable.

Documents to plan for

Your personalized IRCC checklist and local visa-office instructions control. Depending on your situation, you may need:

• Valid passport or travel document
• Letter of acceptance from the correct DLI
• PAL or TAL, or proof of an exception
• Quebec Acceptance Certificate, if applicable
• Tuition payment and financial evidence
• Study plan or letter of explanation
• Education records and transcripts
• Employment history and résumé, where relevant
• Proof of status in the country of application
• Marriage and family documents, if applicable
• Medical exam or police certificate, if required
• Biometrics and country-specific documents

Names, dates, tuition amounts and program details should be consistent across the acceptance letter, school receipts, forms and financial documents. Explain discrepancies directly.

A practical study-permit process

1. Compare schools and exact programsConfirm DLI status, program delivery, costs, admission requirements and PGWP information.
2. Receive and verify the acceptance letterCheck the campus, credential, start date and tuition before paying non-refundable costs.
3. Obtain the provincial documentSecure the PAL, TAL or CAQ when required, or prepare evidence for an exception.
4. Build a realistic financial and study planDocument available funds and explain how the program fits your background and goals.
5. Complete the IRCC applicationApply through the correct online route, upload readable documents and pay the current official fees.
6. Complete biometrics and medical stepsFollow the letters in your account and use authorized collection locations or panel physicians.
7. Wait for approval before travelling to studyDo not treat school admission or application submission as permission to enter Canada or begin studies.
8. Review the permit at arrivalConfirm the DLI, expiry date and work conditions printed on the document.

Approval, travel and arrival

An approval letter issued outside Canada is not the physical study permit. You may also need a visitor visa or electronic travel authorization to travel. At the border, an officer verifies your documents and decides whether you may enter and receive the permit.

Carry your valid passport, approval letter, school acceptance information, proof of finances and medical results when required. Read the printed permit before leaving the inspection area and ask about any apparent error.

Conditions while you study

You normally must remain enrolled at a DLI, actively pursue your studies, make progress and respect every condition on the permit. Authorized leaves are limited and must fit the current rules; keep proof from the school.

If you change post-secondary institutions, you may need a new study-permit application with a new acceptance letter before changing schools. Follow the current instructions for your exact stage—before approval, after approval but before travel, or while studying in Canada.

A study permit may normally include an additional period after the program, but if you finish early its validity can end earlier than the date printed. Plan extensions and post-graduation status before completion.

Working while studying

Eligible students may work off campus without a separate work permit only after studies begin and while meeting all conditions. During regular academic sessions, the current federal limit is 24 hours per week. Eligible students may work full-time during a regularly scheduled break if they were full-time before and will be full-time afterward, subject to the official rules.

Do not work before the program starts or while you are not eligible. Exceeding the permitted hours can violate your status and affect future applications.

As of 1 April 2026, eligible post-secondary international students generally do not need a separate co-op work permit for student placements such as co-ops and internships. Verify that the placement and your status meet the current requirements before starting.

Core PGWP eligibility

A PGWP is an open work permit for eligible graduates, but graduating from a DLI is not enough. General rules include completing a PGWP-eligible program of at least eight months—900 hours for certain Quebec programs—maintaining full-time student status during regular semesters except where an allowed exception applies, and applying within 180 days after confirmation of program completion.

Your study permit must have been valid at some point during that 180-day period. Other rules cover transfers, authorized leave, distance learning, overseas study, curriculum-licensing programs and whether you previously received a PGWP.

Language courses, general-interest or self-improvement studies, non-credit programs and many programs delivered through public-private curriculum-licensing arrangements do not qualify.

PGWP language and field-of-study rules

Field eligibility is based on the exact six-digit CIP code, not only the program title. IRCC has frozen the eligible field-of-study list for 2026, but applicants must still use the official search tool and the rules tied to their application dates.

How long can a PGWP be valid?

• An eligible master’s degree program of at least eight months may support a three-year PGWP even when the program is shorter than two years.
• For many other programs of at least eight months but less than two years, the permit may be issued for up to the program length.
• A program of two years or more may support a permit of up to three years.
• Two eligible programs may sometimes be combined when each meets the applicable requirements.

The passport expiry date can shorten the permit. Renew the passport before applying when possible and keep all completion and enrolment records.

Working after a PGWP application

You may work full-time while IRCC processes the PGWP application only if you met all applicable conditions when you submitted it: you had a valid study permit, completed the program, were eligible to work off campus and respected the work-hour limit.

If your study permit expires before you apply, restoration rules may be relevant, but restoration does not automatically authorize work. Confirm your status and work authorization before accepting shifts.

Study is not guaranteed permanent residence

Canadian education and qualifying skilled work experience may later support Express Entry or a Provincial Nominee Program. However, program rules, invitation scores, occupation categories and provincial priorities can change during several years of study and work.

Review the Express Entry guide, Provincial Nominee Programs guide and Work Permits guide separately before treating education as an immigration strategy.

Common study and PGWP mistakes

• Checking only the school’s DLI status and not the exact program’s PGWP eligibility.
• Paying a large deposit before verifying the campus, delivery model and refund terms.
• Using an outdated PAL/TAL exception or financial-support amount.
• Relying on expected Canadian employment to fund required costs.
• Submitting a generic study plan that does not explain the program choice.
• Changing post-secondary schools without following the new-permit instructions.
• Working before classes begin or exceeding the permitted weekly hours.
• Taking an unauthorized leave or studying mostly outside Canada without checking PGWP effects.
• Assuming every diploma field qualifies for a PGWP.
• Waiting until status expires or missing the 180-day PGWP application period.

Study permit and PGWP questions

Official sources

These Government of Canada pages were used to review this guide. Open them for the current requirements, forms, amounts and program lists.

• Study permit overview ↗Official study-permit starting point
• Study-permit eligibility ↗Requirements, responsibilities and PGWP planning
• Designated learning institutions list ↗DLI and program-level PGWP information
• PAL and TAL requirements ↗Who needs an attestation letter and current exceptions
• Proof of financial support ↗Current costs and acceptable financial evidence
• How to apply for a study permit ↗Application routes and document submission
• Study-permit conditions ↗Enrolment, progress and authorized leave
• Changing schools or programs ↗Current rules for changing a post-secondary DLI
• Working off campus ↗Eligibility, weekly limits and scheduled breaks
• Work as an international student ↗On-campus, off-campus, placements and graduate work
• About the PGWP ↗Permit purpose and possible length
• PGWP eligibility ↗General, program and location requirements
• PGWP field-of-study search ↗Current eligible CIP codes and date rules
• After a PGWP application ↗When full-time work may be authorized
• IRCC processing-time tool ↗Check current estimates for the correct application