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Pathway

Canada Study Permit

Canada Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

Canada's study permit is for international students accepted to a designated Canadian learning institution. It can allow temporary residence while studying and may lead to a Post-Graduation Work Permit if the school and program are eligible.

Type
Temporary study residence
Study fit
Students accepted by a Canadian designated learning institution
Core requirements
Acceptance letter, funds, attestation letter where required, and admissibility
What to know
Eligibility for a post-graduation work permit depends on the school and program
Duration
Temporary; usually tied to the program length.
Renewal / path
May support a post-graduation work permit and later permanent residence if the program is eligible.

Summary

A study permit authorizes a foreign national to study at the named Canadian designated learning institution (DLI) and under the conditions printed on the permit. It is temporary status, not permanent residence.

Program choice matters. Graduating from a DLI does not automatically make a student eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). A person considering post-study work should verify the exact school's and program's PGWP status, credential level, field-of-study rule, and date rules before paying a deposit.

Pathway fit check

Eligibility

An applicant normally needs:

As of 2026, students entering public-DLI master's or doctoral degree programs are among the PAL/TAL exemptions, but other graduate and undergraduate applicants may still need one. Exemptions and Quebec rules should be checked on the current IRCC page.

What This Route Allows

The permit allows study at the approved institution and level, subject to its conditions. An eligible full-time post-secondary student may work off campus up to 24 hours per week during regular academic sessions and full-time during scheduled breaks. The exact work rules must be satisfied; a permit does not give every student an automatic right to work.

An eligible graduate may later apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). That is a separate application with institution, program length, language, field-of-study, physical-location, and timing requirements.

What This Route Is Not

A study permit is not a promise of a PGWP, permanent residence, or a job. Study performed while a person is a full-time student normally does not count toward the Canadian Experience Class.

Changing post-secondary schools normally requires a new study permit under current rules. A student already in Canada generally must apply to extend the current permit and receive the new permit before starting at the new DLI; IRCC allows study at the new school while the application is pending only in narrow situations involving the former school's closure, program discontinuation, suspension or loss of designation. The student must also remain enrolled and actively pursue studies; working beyond the permitted hours or stopping study can jeopardize status and later applications.

Next Steps

  1. Confirm the exact school is a DLI and the exact program—not only the school—is PGWP-eligible if post-study work matters.
  2. Check whether the program is subject to a PGWP field-of-study requirement and whether its CIP code is on IRCC's 2026 frozen list.
  3. Obtain the letter of acceptance and PAL/TAL or Quebec acceptance document, unless clearly exempt.
  4. Prepare a realistic budget using IRCC's current living-expense table plus tuition and travel, with a traceable source of funds.
  5. Explain why the program makes sense for your education and career and provide complete identity, travel, and admissibility documents.
  6. After arrival, follow enrollment, school, work-hour, and permit-expiry conditions and check the PGWP rules again before graduation.
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