# Student visa & permits in Canada

> Student visa, residence permit, registration, fees, deadlines and document guidance for studying in Canada.

Source of record: https://versityspot.com/study-abroad/canada/visa
Confirmation: 15 of 15 sections confirmed against their official source (last 2026-08-08).

## Visa & Immigration

A study permit authorises study in Canada; it is not itself an entry visa. Depending on your nationality, you may also need a temporary resident visa or an electronic travel authorisation, which is handled as part of the study-permit process when applicable.

Most applicants who fall under the international-student cap need a Provincial or Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL). In most cases you obtain it through your school after accepting an offer and following the province's or institution's payment process. Starting 1 January 2026, students applying to degree-granting master's or doctoral programmes at public DLIs are exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement. Quebec still has its own requirements; its CAQ documentation is used for the provincial step.

For applications made on or after 1 September 2025, a single applicant studying outside Quebec must show CAD 22,895 for first-year living expenses, in addition to first-year tuition and transportation. IRCC updates the living-expense amount annually, so re-check it immediately before applying. Quebec sets its own financial-capacity amounts; for applications from 1 January 2026, the essential-expenses figure for one adult is CAD 24,617, in addition to the other required study costs.

The federal study-permit fee is CAD 150, with biometrics charged separately when required. The Student Direct Stream ended in November 2024, so former SDS-eligible applicants now use the regular study-permit process.

*Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit/get-documents.html*

## Residence Permit

Canada does not use a general municipal address-registration system for international students. Your immigration status is shown by your study permit, while IRCC must be kept informed of relevant contact changes.

Post-secondary students changing to a different DLI generally need to apply for a new study permit by extending their current permit. In most ordinary cases you should obtain the new permit before leaving your current school; IRCC lists limited situations in which you may begin at the new DLI while the application is being processed. If you are outside Canada after approval and change schools, a new study-permit application is generally required.

If you finish earlier than the date on your permit, the permit normally becomes invalid on the earlier of two dates: the date printed on the permit or 90 days after the school first notifies you that you completed the programme. Convocation is not the trigger.

Keep your letters of acceptance, completion letter, transcripts and permits. They can be important for extensions and a later PGWP application.

*Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/change-schools.html*

## Common questions

### What should international students know about visa in Canada?

Most capped applicants need a PAL/TAL. Outside Quebec, the current single-applicant living-expense threshold is CAD 22,895 plus tuition and transport.

### What should international students know about residence in Canada?

Changing post-secondary DLIs usually requires a new study permit; completion can shorten your permit to 90 days after official notice.