Canada student visas now require an attestation letter

Confused about what PAL is? Here’s help!

International students make important contributions to Canada’s campuses, communities and economy; however, there has been unsustainable growth in the International Student Program in recent years. The government is trying to make the process easier for students by introducing reforms like the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) process that will support sustainable population growth in Canada and improve system integrity while helping to ensure that international students have a positive experience in Canada.

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Table of contents

• Canada international student scenario

• Latest announcement

• The intent of PAL

• What is an attestation letter?

• What is a Provincial attestation letter (PAL)?

• Scope of PAL

• Conditions for PAL as a study permit application by an international student to Canada

• Which provinces to start soon?

• What is the validity period of an issued PAL?

• Important facts about PAL

• How to get your PAL/What is the process to get a PAL?

• Importance of PAL

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Canada international student scenario

Canada has emerged as a global education hub, attracting thousands of international students seeking quality education and promising career prospects. Indian students have found Canada to be a popular destination to study abroad. There are currently more than 8 lakh international students across all study levels who had study permits in Canada in 2022, according to information from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).*Indian students have been choosing programs to study where there is a great demand in labour markets, including programs that address significant demand for employees in healthcare, home building, energy, engineering technology, early childhood education, cyber security, etc. in Canada.

Latest announcement

Starting from January 22, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. ET, a new requirement mandates that most incoming college and undergraduate international students must accompany their study permit applications with a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) issued by the respective province or territory. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) specifies that applications lacking a PAL will be returned to the applicant, except for those who qualify for an exemption. The Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) acts as verification that the student's Enrollment aligns with the specified provincial or territorial quota within the overarching national limit. Each province and territory is tasked with establishing a procedure for the issuance of PALs by the deadline of March 31, 2024.

The intent of PAL

This shift in policy reflects a proactive approach by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to maintain a balance in regional population growth while still welcoming international students to contribute to Canada's academic and cultural landscape. As the cap is temporary, it will be interesting to observe its effects on international student enrolment and the broader educational landscape in Canada over the next two years. It is Introduced to strengthen Canada as a top preferred choice amongst international students.

What is an attestation letter?

An attestation letter is a supporting document from the province or territory of Canada where the international student plans to study that is now a required document for an initial study permit application.

What is a Provincial attestation letter (PAL)?

PAL is a letter written and signed by a provincial or territorial government of Canada confirming that an international applicant has a space within the provincial or territorial allocation for study permit applications and must include the following information of the foreign national: full name, date of birth, and address(of home country).

Scope of PAL

Category	Details
Who Needs	The majority of individuals applying for study permits for post-secondary education. Most graduate programs that do not lead to a degree, such as certificate programs and graduate diplomas.
Who Doesn’t Need	Students in primary and secondary education. Individuals enrolled in master’s or doctoral programs. Visiting or exchange students in Canada attending a Designated Learning Institution. Holders of Canadian study permits and work permits, including those applying for renewals. Family members in Canada of those holding study or work permits. Applicants whose study permit requests were submitted before January 22, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. EST.

Conditions for PAL as a study permit application by an international student to Canada

• In order to be accepted for processing, any study permit application subject to these Instructions that was received after the coming into effect of these Instructions must include a provincial attestation letter.

• Study permit applications received by the Department after the coming into effect of these Instructions that do not include a provincial attestation letter will not be accepted for processing, and processing fees will be returned.

Which provinces of Canada have announced their PAL process(as of 19th March 2024)

Here are the specific provinces that have announced their Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) process and started rolling out letters to students

• British Columbia

• Alberta

• Saskatchewan

• Manitoba

• Quebec

• Ontario (begun on 30th March 2024)

Which provinces to start soon?

The rest of the provinces will be coming soon with their PAL process announcements. All provinces must announce their process before 31st March 2024

What is the validity period of an issued PAL?

For a year. The provinces and Institutions have currently issued PALs valid until 2025 beginning.

Important facts about PAL

• Needs to be included as part of your study permit application.

• Each Province (State) has a set number of attestation letters.

• Distributed based on the population share of the province.

• Masters and PhD students do not need a PAL.

How to get your PAL/What is the process to get a PAL?

• The PAL process is simple and efficient

• Student receives LOA from the institution after submitting the application

• Student accepts the offer and informs the institution/fills out the request form

• The institution informs the province and PAL is released to the institution to be shared with the student

• Issuing PAL is the responsibility of the institution & the province.

Importance of PAL

• It is a mandatory document required by every international student to be submitted along with their visa application for Canada.

• It will help provinces have a balance on their intake of international students applied through the institutions.

• It will also serve as proof that student admission into approved DLI has been verified by the respective province.

• PAL is issued by province to the respective institution which is then issued to the student.

For prospective international students, this Canada student visa news may be the most immediately important, especially for those planning to study in provinces like Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia etc. The need for a provincial attestation letter (PAL) adds an additional step to the application process, emphasising the importance of thorough preparation at the aspiring student’s end.For students heading to Quebec, the inclusion of a specific sentence in the Certificat d’Acceptation du Québec (CAQ) can serve as the attestation letter. This streamlines the process for students bound for Quebec, ensuring they meet the new requirements.In British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, PALs are now being issued directly to universities and colleges, with institutions then disseminating them to students as appropriate. This approach aims to facilitate the application process by involving educational institutions in the issuance of PALs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Ques 1: Who issues a PAL

Ans: The respective province issues PAL to the institution which is then issued to the student who has accepted the offer with a deposit of tuition fee amount.

Ques 2: Is paying a tuition deposit mandatory to get PAL?

Ans: PAL is issued on a first come first basis; hence it is crucial that students accept the offer as per the deposit requested by the Canadian Institution.

Ques 3: Do current students in Canada need an Attestation letter to continue their studies?Ans: No, students applying to extend their study permit are exempt from needing an attestation letter.

Ques 4: Is PAL required for students applying for the 1+1 program

Ans: PAL is required for the study permit (visa )application to apply for the first time from the home country.

Ques 5: Is there any fee to be paid to get a PAL from the institution

Ans: No additional fee to be paid to request for PAL(except in Quebec as CAQ fees)

Ques 6: What if the student does not go for the specified intake after getting PAL

Ans: As of now PALs issued are valid for about a year (Jan 2025). If the deferred intake falls within the valid period, the same PAL can be used to apply for the visa.

Ques 7: What if the student credentials mentioned on PAL are incorrect

Ans: You should provide the correct details of the student to the institution to re-issue PAL. Some institutions may ask the student to confirm details before issuing a PAL

Ques 8: What if the student’s visa doesn’t get approved? Will they need another PAL?

Ans: As of now PALs issued are valid for about a year (Jan 2025). If the deferred intake falls within the valid period, the same PAL can be used to apply for the visa.

As each province defines its plans for issuing attestation letters by March 31, prospective students should stay informed and ensure they fulfil all necessary requirements to avoid delays or complications in their study permit applications. Hurry to make an academic application to your choice of Canadian Institution and get your offer!

Should you be the offer holder from any Canadian Institution and waiting for your PAL to be issued then improve your chances to get a PAL issued and Get in touch with IDP experts for more guidance.