Study permit (IRCC)
The Canadian government's official guidance on study permits: eligibility, letters of acceptance, provincial attestation letters, proof of funds, work during study and the post-graduation work permit. Canada changed these rules often from 2023 to 2026, so read them the week you apply.
Guide
Career Growth
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Self paced
All
Free
What it is
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) publishes the official rules for studying in Canada on canada.ca. The study permit pages explain who needs a permit, the documents required, how to apply, and the conditions you must follow. Linked pages cover working while studying and the post-graduation work permit.
Key rules (as of 2026-09)
- You apply with a letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution, which the institution now verifies directly with IRCC, a rule in place since December 2023.
- Canada caps study permit applications and most students need a provincial or territorial attestation letter, but from 1 January 2026 students in master's and doctoral programmes at public institutions are exempt from that letter.
- For applications from 1 September 2026, a single applicant outside Quebec must show 23,448 Canadian dollars a year for living costs, plus tuition and travel. Quebec sets its own amounts.
- Students can work up to 24 hours a week off campus during academic sessions, and without a weekly limit during scheduled breaks.
- Master's graduates of programmes of at least eight months can get a post-graduation work permit of up to three years, once, and university graduates need language test results at CLB 7. Bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees are exempt from the field of study requirement.
- Spouses can get open work permits only in some cases, such as master's programmes of 16 months or longer and doctoral programmes, since January 2025.
How to use it well
- Read the study permit pages end to end before accepting an offer.
- Check whether your programme needs an attestation letter.
- Prepare proof of funds that matches the exact amount and forms IRCC lists.
- Before graduating, read the post-graduation work permit eligibility pages, including the language test rule.
Is it worth it?
Essential. Summaries from consultants and older articles often carry outdated numbers, and Canada changed several of these rules between 2023 and 2026.
Free or paid
The guidance is free. Fees are paid to IRCC only through its official application system.
Common questions
Is a post-graduation work permit a path to permanent residence? It gives Canadian work experience, which some immigration programmes value, but it does not lead to permanent residence automatically.
Where is the Quebec process? Quebec has its own requirements through its immigration ministry, alongside IRCC.
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