Canada Announces Breakdown of 2025 Study Permit Allocation and PAL Requirements

Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has unveiled a detailed breakdown of the study permit allocation for 2025, revealing how many international students each province will welcome. The government has also shared more information about the newly introduced Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) requirement, which is part of a broader strategy to regulate the number of international students coming to Canada.

In 2025, the government plans to issue a total of 437,000 study permits. This marks a 10% decrease from the number of permits issued in 2024, as part of efforts to manage the influx of temporary residents in the country. The new PAL system is central to this plan. The PAL is a document that confirms that an international student is eligible to study in Canada according to the specific rules set by the province or territory. These new guidelines are set to impact various categories of students, with certain groups being exempt from the PAL requirement.

The breakdown of the study permits for 2025 includes both graduate students and other categories of international students. The largest group, 73,282 permits, is designated for graduate degree students, including those pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees. This category will receive 16.77% of the total study permits available for the year. The federal government had previously announced that about 12% of the total allocation would be reserved specifically for graduate students.

A significant portion of the permits will go to other students who are required to submit a PAL or TAL (Temporary Attestation Letter) with their application. These students include those enrolled in post-secondary programs, certificate courses, and graduate diplomas. In total, 242,994 study permits will be issued to these students.

The provinces and territories have been given specific allocations for the number of study permits they will process for students who need to submit a PAL. Alberta, for example, is expected to process 32,660 permits for both graduate and non-graduate students. Ontario, the most populous province, has the largest allocation, with 116,740 permits set to be issued. Other provinces, such as British Columbia, Quebec, and Nova Scotia, will also see substantial allocations.

Along with these changes, the IRCC announced new rules regarding the PAL requirement. Effective January 24, 2025, students pursuing graduate degrees will now be required to submit a PAL, a change from previous exemptions. Exchange students are now excluded from the PAL requirement, along with kindergarten to grade 12 students, certain vulnerable groups, and those extending their study permits at the same designated learning institution.

The study permit cap is a part of the federal government’s broader strategy to reduce the percentage of temporary residents within Canada’s population. This measure aligns with the Immigration Levels Plan for 2025-2027, which includes targets for both study permits and work permits under the International Mobility Program (IMP). The government hopes that by reducing the number of study permit approvals, it will ease the pressure on the country’s population growth, as the cap supports a target of 305,900 student arrivals in 2025.

These new regulations on study permits, including the PAL system, are expected to have a significant impact on both the international student community and Canada's education system. The government hopes the changes will allow for better management of international students while ensuring that the country remains an attractive destination for higher education.