Compare consultants · Direct contact · Zero fees
VisaWala.pk

Canada · Study permit

Canada Study Permit from Pakistan

To study in Canada for longer than six months you need a study permit, applied for online with IRCC before you travel. You need a letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution (DLI) and, in most cases, a provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL). Canada caps new study permits, so start early and make sure your funds and study plan are clear.

Last reviewed 8 October 2026

At a glance

Who issues it
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
Apply from
Online through an IRCC account, with biometrics at a visa application centre in Pakistan
Main document
Letter of acceptance from a DLI, plus a PAL/TAL in most cases
Can family join
Yes, but spouse open work permits are limited to doctoral, longer master's and some professional programmes
Work while studying
Off campus up to a weekly limit in term time, if your permit allows it
Medical exam
Required for applicants from Pakistan staying more than six months

Who this is for

  • Students admitted to a college or university that is a designated learning institution
  • Master's and doctoral students at public DLIs, who no longer need a PAL/TAL
  • Undergraduate and diploma students who can obtain a PAL/TAL from their province or territory
  • Applicants with clear, traceable funds for tuition, living costs and return travel

When another route fits better

  • Courses of six months or less can usually be taken without a study permit, on a visitor visa.
  • If your main goal is to settle in Canada as a skilled worker, look at Canada's permanent residence routes instead.

Documents to prepare

Everyone

  • Valid passport and copies of its main pages
  • Letter of acceptance from your DLI
  • Provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL), unless you are exempt
  • Degrees, transcripts and HSSC or A level results
  • English or French test results used for admission
  • Letter of explanation setting out why this course and what you will do afterwards
  • Digital photo that meets IRCC specifications

Proof of funds

  • Bank statements covering the past six months that show the source of the money
  • A guaranteed investment certificate (GIC) from a Canadian financial institution, if you use one
  • Receipt for tuition already paid to your DLI
  • Sponsor's letter, proof of the relationship and their income or business records
  • Education loan or scholarship letter

Health and character

  • Immigration medical exam with an IRCC panel physician
  • Police certificate, if the visa office asks for one

Step by step

  1. 1

    Get your letter of acceptance

    Apply to a DLI and accept your offer. Post-secondary institutions must validate letters of acceptance with IRCC, so an altered letter is caught quickly.

  2. 2

    Get your PAL/TAL

    Most students need one from the province or territory, usually arranged by the school after you accept and pay a deposit. Master's and doctoral students at public DLIs have been exempt since January 2026.

  3. 3

    Arrange your funds

    Gather bank statements, a GIC or tuition receipts that show clearly where the money came from. The required amount is updated each year, so check the current figure.

  4. 4

    Do your medical exam

    As an applicant from Pakistan staying more than six months, you need an immigration medical exam with an IRCC panel physician. Doing it before you apply avoids delays.

  5. 5

    Apply online

    Create an IRCC account, upload your documents and pay the application and biometrics fees.

  6. 6

    Give biometrics

    Book an appointment at a visa application centre in Pakistan once you receive the biometric instruction letter.

  7. 7

    Receive your decision

    If approved, you get a port of entry letter of introduction and a visa in your passport. The study permit itself is issued by a border officer when you arrive in Canada.

Costs to plan for

  • The study permit fee and the biometrics fee, paid online to IRCC
  • The immigration medical exam with a panel physician
  • A tuition deposit, often needed before a PAL/TAL is issued
  • Funds for living costs, at the level IRCC sets each year
  • Language tests, application fees and document attestation
  • Flights and health cover, through a school plan or provincial scheme depending on where you study

Why applications get refused

  • The officer is not satisfied that you will leave Canada at the end of your studies
  • Funds that cannot be traced, or large recent deposits with no explanation
  • A study plan that does not make sense given your past studies or work
  • A missing or invalid PAL/TAL, or a letter of acceptance that cannot be verified
  • Weak family, financial or job ties to Pakistan
  • An incomplete medical exam or documents the visa office asked for and did not receive
  • Misrepresentation, which can bar you from applying for five years

Tips before you apply

  • Write your own letter of explanation and link the course to your previous studies and your plans in Pakistan.
  • Do the medical exam upfront so the file is complete on the day you apply.
  • Use one main funding source with six months of history rather than many small accounts.
  • Ask your school early about its PAL/TAL timeline, as provinces issue a limited number each year.

Questions people ask

No. The SDS closed in November 2024. Students from Pakistan now apply through the regular study permit process.

Not if you are enrolled in a master's or doctoral degree at a public designated learning institution. That exemption started on 1 January 2026. Most other students still need one.

Only in some cases. Spouses of students in doctoral programmes, longer master's programmes and certain professional degrees can apply for an open work permit. Others would need their own work permit.

If your permit allows it, you can work off campus up to a weekly limit during academic terms and without a limit during scheduled breaks. Check the current limit on the IRCC website.

Some graduates qualify for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). Eligibility depends on your programme and, for some college programmes, your field of study, so check before you choose a course.

Official sources

Fees, fund requirements and processing times change. Check the current figures on the official site before you apply.

Last reviewed 8 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. VisaWala is not affiliated with any embassy or government, and only the issuing authority decides a visa application.