A study permit is a document issued by IRCC that authorises a foreign national to study in Canada at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). Study permit holders must comply with the conditions set out in their permit and in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. Failure to comply with study permit conditions can lead to the permit being cancelled and the student being required to leave Canada.

• IRPA s 29 — temporary residents must leave Canada by the end of the period authorised for their stay; a study permit specifies the period and conditions of authorised stay
• IRPR regs 220–222 — the regulations governing study permits, authorised institutions, and the conditions on study permit holders
• DLI list — maintained by IRCC; the complete and current list of Designated Learning Institutions is at canada.ca
• IRCC: Study permit conditions — canada.ca/study-permit-conditions

Must study at a DLI

The first and most fundamental condition is that the study permit holder must study at the Designated Learning Institution (DLI) named on the permit, or at another DLI if a transfer is authorised. Studying at an institution that is not a DLI, or changing institutions without meeting the applicable requirements, is a breach of permit conditions.

The DLI list is maintained by IRCC and includes schools, colleges, and universities that have been approved by their provincial or territorial government to enrol international students. The list can change — an institution's DLI status can be suspended. Students should confirm their institution remains a DLI before and during their study.

Full-time enrollment and program progress

Study permit holders must:

• Remain enrolled at their DLI and make reasonable and timely progress toward completing their program
• Study full-time — the full-time enrollment requirement applies in most circumstances; an exception applies in the final semester of a program, when a student may be enrolled part-time if there are not enough required courses to complete full-time
• Not drop below the minimum course load required by the DLI for full-time student status

A student who stops studying, is expelled, or voluntarily withdraws from their program may be in breach of permit conditions and may be required to leave Canada.

Work conditions

Whether a study permit holder can work in Canada depends on the specific conditions on their permit. Common scenarios:

• On-campus work: Most full-time students at DLIs may work on-campus without a separate work permit, subject to the conditions on their permit
• Off-campus work: Eligible students may work off-campus during the academic year (currently up to 20 hours per week during academic sessions and full-time during scheduled breaks) — this is subject to the conditions stated on the permit and IRCC's current policy; see the IRCC work while studying page for current entitlements
• The conditions on the individual permit must be read carefully — some permits do not authorise work

Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL)

Since January 22, 2024, most new study permit applicants must include a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL) from the province or territory where they intend to study. This requirement was introduced as part of Canada's response to the record volume of international student applications.

Exceptions — as of January 1, 2026:

• Students applying to study in a master's or doctoral program at a public DLI are exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement, recognising their unique contributions to Canada's economy and research
• Primary and secondary school students and certain other categories may also be exempt — refer to the IRCC PAL page for the current list of exemptions

If you stop studying

A study permit holder who leaves their program — whether through withdrawal, academic failure, or program completion — must either:

• Apply for a different status in Canada (for example, a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) upon graduation, or a visitor visa if they wish to remain temporarily)
• Leave Canada before their current authorised stay expires

Overstaying after the authorised period or remaining in Canada without valid status is a breach of IRPA and may affect future immigration applications.

Students who take an authorised leave from their studies (for example, for medical reasons or other exceptional circumstances) may be permitted to maintain their study permit status during the leave period, but should confirm this with their DLI and IRCC. Unauthorised absence may be treated differently.

The international student cap introduced in 2024 limits the total number of new study permit approvals per year, with allocations by province and territory. This cap affects how many new study permits are approved each year and means that some applicants who meet all requirements may experience delays or caps in approvals. Current cap information is at canada.ca/study-canada.