Study Permits and the PAL/TAL Requirement: 2025–2026 Guide for International Students

Since 2024, most international students applying for Canadian study permits must include a Provincial or Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL). The 2025 cap is 437,000 permits. Master's and doctoral students now also require PAL/TAL. This guide explains who needs one and how to get it.

This resource explains the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) and Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL) requirements for Canadian study permit applications — including who needs one, who is exempt, how to obtain one, and the overall 2025 study permit cap structure.

Since 2024, IRCC has capped the number of study permits issued annually and requires most international students to submit a PAL or TAL with their application. Without the attestation letter, the application will be returned. Understanding this requirement — and obtaining the correct letter from the right provincial body — is now an essential first step before even beginning a study permit application.

• The 2025 study permit cap is 437,000 — a 10% decrease from 2024 and approximately 40% lower than pre-cap levels
• Most international students must submit a PAL/TAL with their study permit application — without it, the application will be returned
• As of November 4, 2025, the PAL/TAL requirement was extended to master's and doctoral students, eliminating a previous exemption
• K-12 (primary and secondary) students remain exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement
• PAL/TALs are issued by the province or territory where the student plans to study — not by the institution itself