From January 2026, international Master’s and PhD students enrolling in public Canadian institutions will not count towards federal study permit caps. They will also be exempt from the provincial attestation letter (PAL) requirement.
According to the government’s new Immigration Levels Plan, doctoral applicants applying from abroad will benefit from a guaranteed 14-day processing timeframe for their study permits—including accompanying family members. A dedicated webpage for graduate-level applicants will also be launched by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
U15 Group of Canadian Research Universities’s CEO, Robert Asselin, described the exemption as “a key step toward rebuilding Canada’s immigration system in a sustainable way, focused on attracting top talent and leveraging our global reputation for excellence.”
Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) President Larissa Bezo said the measure supports Canadian institutions’ ability to attract high-quality international researchers and students. She added it should free up PAL/TAL allocations for skilled individuals in applied research, trades, healthcare, social sciences and humanities.
Administrative officials believe the PAL exemption will reduce workload for universities and enable faster issuance of offers, making Canada a more competitive choice for international candidates.
For institutions with large international graduate populations, such as University of British Columbia (UBC), these changes reinforce their strategy for research and talent development. UBC’s Director of Global Engagement, Philipp Reichert, noted the clarification that the new cap of 155,000 applies only to new arrivals—not to existing permits and extensions.
Overall, the policy signals the Canadian government’s intention to position Canada as a destination of choice for graduate-level international students and researchers, while aligning with efforts to prioritise economic immigration and strengthen the innovation ecosystem. Graduate students are recognised in the Immigration Levels Plan for their “critical role in research and innovation and their potential to remain permanently in Canada.
