Canada Study Permit

Application Process — Step by Step

1. 01

   Get accepted to a DLI and receive the Letter of Acceptance (LOA)

   home country

   Apply to and accept an offer from a Designated Learning Institution. The DLI issues the LOA required to start the study permit application; most applicants also need a Provincial/Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL) since Jan 2024.

   Typical duration: Per institution admission processsource ↗

2. 02

   Arrange proof of financial support

   home country

   Open a GIC (Guaranteed Investment Certificate) of at least CAD $20,635 with a participating Canadian bank, or assemble equivalent bank statements, scholarship letters, or a study loan.

   Typical duration: 1-3 weeks

3. 03

   Submit study permit application online via IRCC portal

   online

   Complete the online application, upload the LOA, proof of funds, and letter of explanation, and pay the CAD $150 application fee plus CAD $85 biometrics fee.

   Typical duration: Same daysource ↗

4. 04

   Attend biometrics appointment

   home country

   Give fingerprints and a photo at a Visa Application Centre (VAC), unless biometrics were already provided within the last 10 years.

   Typical duration: Same day

5. 05

   Travel to Canada and validate the study permit at the port of entry

   destination

   On approval, IRCC issues a Port of Entry (POE) Letter of Introduction (plus a TRV or eTA where applicable). A Canada Border Services Agency officer issues the physical/digital study permit on arrival.

   Typical duration: Same day

Documents Required

Realistic Costs

~ Some figures below are industry estimates rather than officially verified: lawyer_fee_high, translations, health_insurance_first_year, relocation_misc, total_first_year_low, total_first_year_high, total_5_year_low, total_5_year_high.

Excludes tuition and the GIC deposit itself, which is the student's own living-cost funds released monthly rather than a sunk visa cost. Most students do not use immigration lawyers/consultants for a straightforward study permit application.

Realistic Timeline

• Consulate wait1–4 weeks
• Decision → arrival2 weeks
• Residence card issuance0 weeks
• Total to residence card8–20 weeks

Processing time varies enormously by country of application -- often 4-8 weeks for many countries but 12-20+ weeks for high-volume posts (India, Nigeria, Philippines). No physical residence card is issued; the study permit is a paper/PDF document validated with an entry stamp or eTA/TRV at the port of entry.

Renewal

First renewal after

—

Subsequent cycle

months

Renewal fee

$110USDEURGBPCADAUDINRAEDTHBSGDBRLMXNZAR

Requirements

Study permit is valid for the length of the programme plus 90 days. An extension (Change of Conditions) is required from within Canada via the IRCC portal, before expiry, if the programme is extended or the student changes DLI or programme level.

Path to Permanent Residency — Details

Years required

Integration test

Not required

Path to Citizenship — Details

Years required

Language test

No

Civic test

Not required

Oath

Not required

Dual citizenship

Allowed

Tax Residency

Trigger

days/year of presence

Taxation scope

Territorial (in-country only)

Exit-tax country

No

Health Insurance

~ Some details in this section are industry estimates or general guidance rather than officially verified — confirm against the official source before relying on them.

Mandatory

Yes

No co-pay required

No

Minimum coverage

$100,000USDEURGBPCADAUDINRAEDTHBSGDBRLMXNZAR

Public system access

After 3 months

Examples: Guard.me, StudentGuard, UHIP (Ontario universities), iSTUDENT Recommended

Banking Setup

Open account before arrival

Not typically possible before arrival

Family Specifics

Spouse work rights

Spousal open work permit only available where the student is enrolled in a master's programme of 16+ months, a doctoral programme, or specified professional/priority-sector programmes (restricted Jan 2024); spouses of most college or shorter programmes no longer qualify

Child school enrolment

Accompanying minor children may attend Canadian primary/secondary school without a separate study permit

Parent inclusion

Not eligible

Sibling inclusion

Not eligible

Gotchas — Things to Watch For

• ⚠Student Direct Stream (SDS) was discontinued Nov 8, 2023 -- all applicants now go through the same regular study-permit stream, removing the faster processing that SDS-eligible countries previously enjoyed
• ⚠A Provincial/Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL) is required for most study permit applications since Jan 2024, tied to a national cap on new international student intake -- the DLI must confirm the seat against the province's allocation
• ⚠Spousal open work permit eligibility was narrowed Jan 22, 2024 to spouses of master's (16+ month) and doctoral programmes and select professional/priority-sector programmes
• ⚠Off-campus work cap was temporarily raised to 40 hours/week (Nov 2022-Apr 2024), then reverted; a permanent cap of 24 hours/week took effect Nov 8, 2024
• ⚠IRCC has tightened PGWP eligibility for graduates of curriculum-licensing / public-private college partnership programmes -- verify the specific programme still confers PGWP eligibility before enrolling

What This Visa Does NOT Allow

• ×Employment exceeding 24 hours/week off-campus during regular academic sessions (full-time permitted only during scheduled breaks)
• ×Permanent residence -- a study permit is a temporary resident document; PR requires a separate application (commonly via PGWP then Express Entry or a Provincial Nominee Program)

Before You Arrive — Checklist

1. Receive and accept a Letter of Acceptance from a Designated Learning Institution
2. Obtain a Provincial/Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL) from the DLI's province (required for most applicants since 2024)
3. Purchase a GIC or otherwise document proof of funds; open the GIC account with a participating Canadian bank
4. Complete a medical exam and/or police certificate if required for your country or programme
5. Submit the study permit application online via the IRCC portal, pay fees, and complete biometrics

After You Arrive — Checklist

1. Present the Port of Entry Letter of Introduction and passport (plus TRV/eTA) to a border services officer to have the study permit issued
2. Report to the DLI and begin enrolment within the authorised timeframe
3. Apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to enable on- and off-campus work
4. Enrol in mandatory provincial or private health insurance (most provinces do not cover international students under public healthcare)
5. Open a Canadian bank account

Conversion Paths

Common Rejection Reasons

• •Insufficient or unclear proof of funds -- GIC or bank statements not meeting the CAD $20,635+ threshold or with an unclear source of funds
• •Weak letter of explanation -- visa officer not convinced the applicant will depart Canada at the end of the authorised stay
• •Study plan doesn't align with the applicant's academic/professional background, or the DLI/programme choice appears inconsistent with stated goals
• •DLI or programme oversubscribed against the province's Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) allocation cap (since 2024)
• •Incomplete biometrics or missing medical/police documentation for applicable countries

Recent Legislative Changes

• 2024-11-08

  Permanent off-campus work cap set at 24 hours/week during academic sessions, replacing the temporary pandemic-era 40-hour/unlimited allowances.source ↗

• 2024-01-22

  IRCC introduced a 2-year cap on new international student permits and required Provincial/Territorial Attestation Letters (PAL) for most study permit applications; spousal open work permit eligibility restricted to master's (16+ month), doctoral, and select professional programmes.source ↗

• 2023-11-08

  Student Direct Stream (SDS) discontinued; all study permit applicants are now processed through the standard stream regardless of country of residence.source ↗

Frequently Asked Questions