Canada Sets 2026 Study Permit Cap at 408,000

Canada has confirmed the number of international students it expects to admit in 2026 and how those numbers will be shared among the provinces and territories. The figures are part of a wider plan to slow the growth of temporary residents and reshape the immigration system.

IRCC says it expects to issue up to 408,000 study permits in 2026. That includes about 155,000 new students arriving from abroad and 253,000 extensions for people already in Canada. The 2026 target is about 7% lower than the 2025 target of 437,000 permits and 16% lower than the 2024 target of 485,000.

A national cap on international students was first brought in for 2024. Since then, the number of study permit holders has fallen from more than 1 million in January 2024 to about 725,000 by September 2025. The federal government wants to bring all temporary residents, not just students, to under 5% of Canada’s total population by the end of 2027.

Even with lower numbers, Ottawa says it still wants to use the International Student Program to help meet economic and social goals. One of the key changes in 2026 is aimed at graduate students.

From January 1, 2026, master’s and doctoral students enrolled at public designated learning institutions (DLIs) will no longer need a provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) when applying for a study permit. The government says this exemption recognises the role graduate students play in research, innovation and economic growth, and is meant to keep Canada attractive as a study destination. A list of public DLIs with eligible programmes will be published on the IRCC website.

Graduate students are not the only ones exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement in 2026. The following groups do not need a PAL/TAL:

1. Master’s and doctoral students at public DLIs
2. Primary and secondary (kindergarten to grade 12) students
3. Certain Government of Canada priority groups and vulnerable cohorts
4. Existing study permit holders applying for an extension at the same DLI and at the same level of study

Within the 408,000 study permits expected in 2026, IRCC has set targets for each main group:

1. 49,000 permits for master’s and doctoral students at public DLIs
2. 115,000 permits for primary and secondary school students
3. 64,000 permits for other PAL/TAL-exempt applicants
4. 180,000 permits for applicants who require a PAL/TAL

The 180,000 figure is the key number for students who must obtain a PAL/TAL. These are the applicants counted directly under the new cap.

For 2026, the 180,000 PAL/TAL-required permits are divided among provinces and territories based on their share of the Canadian population. Ontario receives the largest target, with 70,074 permits. Quebec follows with 39,474. British Columbia is set at 24,786 and Alberta at 21,582. Smaller provinces and territories have lower targets, such as 774 for Prince Edward Island and 198 each for Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Nunavut has a target of 180.

Because not all applications are approved, IRCC has also set higher “allocation” numbers. These show how many PAL/TAL-required applications it will accept into processing in 2026.

Across the country, there will be 309,670 application spaces for PAL/TAL-required cohorts. This is the maximum number of applications IRCC will take in from these students in the calendar year.

Again, Ontario receives the highest allocation, with 104,780 application spaces. Quebec is next with 93,069. British Columbia has an allocation of 32,596 and Alberta 32,271. Among smaller jurisdictions, Prince Edward Island has 1,376 spaces, New Brunswick 8,004, Nova Scotia 8,480 and Saskatchewan 11,349. Yukon has 257, and the Northwest Territories 785.

Nunavut is the exception. It has no allocation under the cap because it does not currently have any designated post-secondary learning institutions, and therefore does not issue PAL/TAL letters for post-secondary students.

Provinces and territories are now responsible for dividing their allocations among their designated learning institutions. Universities, colleges and other DLIs will need to work within these limits when planning their 2026 admissions for PAL/TAL-required students.

For prospective international students, the new numbers mean that competition for spots will remain high in many parts of Canada. The PAL/TAL exemption for master’s and PhD students at public DLIs, however, removes one step from the process for graduate applicants and may make planning slightly easier for them.

IRCC says it will keep working with provinces and territories to make sure the International Student Program supports Canada’s goals while keeping the number of temporary residents under control.