The Canadian province of British Columbia has begun issuing provincial attestation letters (PAL) to new study permit applicants. The PAL system is aligned with the new eligibility requirements as stated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Since IRCC imposed a limit on study permit applications last month, new study permit applications need an attestation letter so they can prove that a DLI has accepted them. An attestation letter is first issued to designated learning institutions (DLI), the only approved institutions in Canada that can admit international students. If a DLI accepts an international student, it will issue them a PAL.
Download Free Immigration and PR Guide PDF
The student will then upload this PAL with their study permit application and apply to IRCC. Without a PAL, IRCC won’t accept the application as it will not be eligible. IRCC now strictly requires every foreign student to first showcase they are accepted by a DLI.
No other province or territory of Canada has issued PALs, British Columbia is the first one to do so.
IRCC allocated 97,000 study permit applications to British Columbia, however, for this year, BC can only allow 83,000 undergraduate study permit applications.
Study Permit Applications Now Limited
IRCC announced a cap on the number of study permit applications on 22 January. In 2024, Canada will only be accepting about 360,000 applications which is actually a reduction of about 35% from last year.
International students coming to Canada to study for master’s or doctoral degrees won’t be affected by this change.
It is expected that other provinces will be issuing their PAL systems sooner as well.
Remember to fill out the form below for some insights and advice from our experts!
