Your educational institute in Canada is responsible for obtaining the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) for you from the relevant province. Provinces have already started issued PALs.
What is a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)?
A Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) is a new document introduced as part of Canada’s efforts to manage international student intake across the country. Issued by provincial or territorial governments, the PAL serves as official confirmation that an international student has been included within their region’s allocation under the new national cap on study permits.
In practical terms, a PAL shows that a student’s application has been counted towards the province or territory’s share of the overall federal limit on study permits. Starting in 2024, many international students applying for a Study Permit to study in Canada are required to include a PAL with their application, without it, IRCC will not process their study permit request unless exempt.
This letter must be obtained after receiving a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI), and students must follow specific provincial or territorial procedures to request it. The exact process and timeline for PAL issuance may vary by province or territory.
Why do we need a PAL?
In January 2024, the Government of Canada introduced a national cap on the number of study permit applications it will approve over the next two years, 2024 and 2025, as part of a broader effort to ensure the sustainability and integrity of the international student system.
For the year 2024, the cap has been set at 360,000 approved study permits, which represents a 35% reduction from 2023 levels. To distribute this cap fairly across the country, the federal government has allocated quotas to each of Canada’s 13 provinces and territories, based primarily on population size.
The Provincial Attestation Letter is the mechanism through which provinces and territories track and confirm each student’s place within their allocated quota. It helps IRCC ensure that the national cap is respected and that the distribution of international students aligns with regional capacity, such as housing, health care, and educational infrastructure.
This measure is also intended to address concerns about:
- Ensuring a better quality of education and student support services.
- Over-enrolment in certain institutions,
- Student housing shortages,
- Exploitation of students through unregulated programs, and
Who needs a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)?
You will need a PAL if you fall into one of the following categories:
- Most post-secondary study permit applicants, including those attending colleges, universities, CEGEPs, or private career institutions.
- Students enrolling in non-degree granting graduate programs, such as:
- Postgraduate certificate programs
- Graduate diplomas
- Other graduate-level programs that do not lead to a master’s or doctoral degree
- Anyone not included in the official exception list (see below)
Who doesn’t need a provincial attestation letter?
- primary and secondary school students
- master’s or doctoral degree students
- in-Canada visiting or exchange students studying at a designated learning institution
- in-Canada study permit and work permit holders (includes study permit holders applying for an extension)
- in-Canada family members of study permit or work permit holders
- students whose application we received before 8:30 a.m. EST on January 22, 2024
What to do after obtaining the letter of attestation?
Once you’ve received your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL), the next step is to submit your study permit application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The PAL must be included as part of your application package, along with your Letter of Acceptance (LOA), proof of financial support, and other required documents.
If you’d like professional help with preparing and submitting your study permit application, feel free to contact me for personalized assistance.
Prefer to apply on your own? No problem, this video walks you through the key steps and tips for getting your study permit approved.
Related Resources:
https://pcici.ca/canada-visitor-visa-after-refusal/
