Choosing a School and Getting Admitted to Study in Canada

Admission and immigration are two separate decisions. The school decides whether to accept you. IRCC decides whether to issue a study permit. But the school you choose affects the permit at every step: it must be a designated learning institution, it must confirm your acceptance letter to IRCC, it is how you get your PAL/TAL, and its programs decide whether you can work in Canada after you graduate.

The rules for schools are in Part 12 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR). Section 211.1 defines a DLI. Section 222.1 requires post-secondary DLIs to confirm, within 10 days of IRCC's request, whether they accepted an applicant, and to report on international students' enrolment. A school that does not comply can be placed on a public suspension list.

For a post-secondary DLI to confirm your acceptance letter to IRCC

10 days

Maximum 2026 study permit applications IRCC accepts from PAL/TAL-required students

309,670

Expiry of PAL/TALs issued in 2026, unless an earlier date is shown

Dec 31, 2026

Minimum program length for a PGWP

8 months

A DLI is a school approved by a provincial or territorial government to host international students. All primary and secondary schools in Canada are DLIs and are not on IRCC's list. Every post-secondary school must be on IRCC's DLI list, and you enter its DLI number on your study permit application.

• The school is on the DLI listSearch IRCC's list by province and note the DLI number and campus. A school without a DLI number cannot support a study permit.
• The program is PGWP-eligibleIRCC's list has a tab of DLIs that offer PGWP-eligible programs, with the eligible programs for each school. Not all programs at a DLI qualify.
• The field of study qualifies, if it mustFor college and other non-degree programs, find the program's 6-digit Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code and check it against IRCC's eligible list.
• The program is not a curriculum licensing arrangementPrograms a private college delivers on behalf of a public college are not PGWP-eligible in most cases. Students who started one in the same province on or after May 15, 2024 are not eligible.
• You will study in class in CanadaIf your lock-in date is on or after September 1, 2024, at least 50% of the program must be completed in class in Canada, and time studying outside Canada is deducted from the PGWP.
• Public or private, and graduate or notA master's or doctoral degree program at a public DLI needs no PAL/TAL. IRCC's list has a separate tab of these public DLIs.

Check the school's compliance as well. If a DLI is on IRCC's suspension list, a study permit application that names it and is received during the suspension is returned without being processed, with the fee. Extensions to finish a program you already started are not affected.

A letter of acceptance from a DLI is always required for a study permit, except for family members of someone whose study or work permit was approved in writing before they come to Canada.

• For post-secondary students, IRCC asks the school to confirm that your letter is valid. If the school does not respond by the deadline, IRCC returns your application and refunds the processing fee. Confirm with the school that it will validate the letter before you apply again.
• Upload only the acceptance letter in the space for it in the online application. Anything else you put there is disclosed to the school.
• Make sure the letter shows the program, level and start date you will actually attend. The school must confirm the program indicated in your application.
• If you change schools while your application is in progress, send IRCC the new acceptance letter and, if needed, a new PAL/TAL through the IRCC web form.
• If your permit is approved and you then change schools before you arrive, you must submit a new study permit application with a new acceptance letter and pay all the fees again.

The international student cap limits how many study permit applications IRCC accepts each calendar year. IRCC divides the spaces among provinces and territories, which distribute them to their schools. When a school gives you a space, the province or territory issues your PAL/TAL. In 2026, IRCC expects to issue up to 408,000 study permits, including 180,000 to applicants who need a PAL/TAL.

• Ask your school how to get a PAL/TAL. Submit it with your study permit application, not after, and get one for each applicant.
• A PAL/TAL issued in 2026 is valid until December 31, 2026 unless it shows an earlier date. It must be valid when you apply, not when classes start. You cannot apply with a PAL/TAL from a previous cap year.
• You can reuse a still-valid PAL/TAL only if your application was not accepted for processing, or if you withdrew it before a decision. After an approval or a refusal, you need a new one.
• Moving from a post-secondary program to a master's or doctoral degree program at a public DLI does not require a new PAL/TAL.
• If you are exempt, include proof of the exemption with your application.

Some PGWP rules are fixed by the date IRCC receives your study permit application. That is why the time to check is before you apply for admission and pay a deposit, not after graduation.

• Field of studyYour program's CIP code must be on IRCC's eligible list when you submit either your study permit application or your PGWP application. IRCC will not add or remove fields of study in 2026.
• Length and full-time studyAt least 8 months (900 hours in Quebec), full-time in every term, with part-time allowed only in the final term.
• Programs that never qualifyEnglish or French as a second language, general interest courses, most non-credit programs, and programs at a non-Canadian institution located in Canada.
• Only one PGWPYou can get only one PGWP in your lifetime, so choose the program that gives you the length of work permit you need.

1. 1

   Shortlist schools and programs

   Check the DLI list, the PGWP tab, the CIP code and the delivery format (in class, online or a partnership program). Note admission and language requirements and intake dates.

2. 2

   Apply for admission

   Apply directly to the school. Keep copies of everything you submit and make sure your transcripts and test results are consistent.

3. 3

   Read the offer before you accept

   Check the program name, level, campus, start date and the written refund policy. Then accept the offer and pay the deposit the school requires.

4. 4

   Get your PAL/TAL or CAQ

   Follow your school's process. Check the expiry date on the letter and apply for your permit while it is valid.

5. 5

   Prepare your study permit application

   Gather your passport, proof of funds and a letter explaining why you chose this program and school. Upload the acceptance letter only in its own space.

6. 6

   Respond to the verification

   IRCC asks post-secondary schools to confirm your acceptance letter. Stay in touch with the school's international office so it answers on time.

Most people must apply before coming to Canada. If you are already in Canada, see the Study permit page to check whether you can apply from inside the country.

School application fees, tuition deposits and the cost of a PAL/TAL process are set by schools and provinces, not by IRCC. Your proof of funds must cover first-year tuition and living costs for you and any family who come with you, without working in Canada. Processing times shown below come live from IRCC's processing times tool.

If you are refused and apply again, you need a new PAL/TAL. Read the refusal letter and the officer decision note first, and address each reason with new evidence.