In January 2024, Canada introduced a cap on the number of international student study permits it would issue annually. The cap was introduced in response to rapid growth in international student enrolments that placed pressure on housing, public services, and Canada's immigration system. The cap is implemented through Ministerial Instructions under IRPA and operates by allocating a fixed number of study permit application spaces across provinces and territories.

Most new study permit applicants are required to include a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL) from the province or territory where they intend to study — these letters confirm that the province or territory has a remaining allocation under the cap. Without a PAL or TAL (unless exempt), a study permit application will not be accepted.

• IRPA s 14.1 — Minister may give instructions setting intake caps on immigration applications
• IRCC: 2026 provincial and territorial allocations under the international student cap — canada.ca/2026-student-cap-allocations
• IRCC: Study permit — provincial attestation letter — canada.ca/pal-tal
• IRCC: Strengthening temporary residence programs — canada.ca/tr-volumes

The cap and how it is allocated

IRCC sets an annual cap on the number of study permits to be issued and allocates spaces to provinces and territories based on population and other factors. Each province and territory then determines how to allocate its spaces among institutions and programs — generally through a registration system for Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) in that jurisdiction.

Applicants must obtain a PAL or TAL from the province or territory where their DLI is located before applying for a study permit. The PAL/TAL confirms that a space under the provincial allocation exists for the applicant. Once a province or territory exhausts its allocation, no further PALs or TALs can be issued for that year.

2026 cap target

The 2026 cap is set at a total of 309,670 study permit application spaces — approximately 7% lower than the 2025 cap of 437,000 and 36% lower than the 2024 cap of 485,000. Of the 2026 total, approximately 180,000 permits are expected to be issued to PAL/TAL-required applicants. The remainder comes from PAL/TAL-exempt categories.

PAL/TAL exemptions — who does not need a PAL or TAL

Several categories of study permit applicants are exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement:

• From January 1, 2026: Students enrolled in master's or doctoral programs at a public DLI are exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement — this change was introduced as part of the 2026 cap adjustments
• Study permit renewals (extensions): Students already in Canada extending an existing study permit do not need a PAL/TAL
• Certain protected persons and refugee claimants
• Minor children who will study in primary or secondary school in Canada
• Applicants from certain countries through specific bilateral agreements

For the full and current list of PAL/TAL exemptions, refer to the IRCC PAL/TAL page.

Context: the broader temporary resident reduction

The study permit cap is part of a broader policy by the Canadian government to reduce temporary resident volumes. The government has stated an objective of reducing the proportion of temporary residents in Canada's population to 5% of the total population by the end of 2026. New temporary resident arrivals targets fell from 673,650 in 2025 to 516,600 in 2026 under the 2026–2028 Levels Plan.

For current provincial and territorial allocation details and the current list of PAL/TAL-exempt categories, refer to the IRCC 2026 allocations notice. Allocations are set annually and may change.

The study permit cap and PAL/TAL requirements were a significant policy shift — study permit applications submitted without a required PAL/TAL are returned without processing. Applicants and advisors should ensure the PAL/TAL is in hand before submitting a study permit application.

The January 2026 master's/doctoral PAL/TAL exemption is particularly significant for students in postgraduate programs, as it removes a step that had been creating bottlenecks for this segment. Students in undergraduate or college-level programs at public institutions still require a PAL/TAL.