Short answer
Yes, Pakistani students can still study in Canada, but they need a study permit before they travel. As of 18 September 2026, you need a letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution, in most cases a provincial attestation letter, and proof of first-year tuition plus at least CAD 23,448 for living costs. The Student Direct Stream ended in November 2024, so every Pakistani file now goes through the regular stream.
Can Pakistani students still study in Canada in 2026?
Yes. Canada has cut the number of study permits it issues, but it has not closed the door to Pakistan. What has changed is how much evidence an officer expects, and how many places each province can offer.
What the numbers say
As of 18 September 2026, IRCC’s notice on the 2026 allocations says it expects to issue up to 408,000 study permits in 2026, including 155,000 to newly arriving students. That is 7% lower than the 2025 target of 437,000. The rest are extensions for students already in Canada.
The basic legal test
IRCC’s eligibility page says you must be enrolled at a designated learning institution, prove you can pay tuition, living costs and return travel, obey the law, pass a medical exam if required, and satisfy an officer that you will leave Canada when your permit expires. Section 216 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations sets out the same conditions.
That last condition matters most for Pakistani applicants. Canadian law allows what lawyers call dual intent. Section 22(2) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act says wanting permanent residence later does not stop you becoming a temporary resident, as long as the officer is satisfied you will leave at the end of your authorised stay. So hoping to settle one day is not fatal. A file that looks like migration dressed up as study is.
The end of SDS
IRCC ended the Student Direct Stream, and the Nigeria Student Express, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time on 8 November 2024. Pakistan had been one of the SDS countries. Applications received after that time go through the regular study permit stream. There is no faster Pakistan route to pay for, whatever an agent’s poster says.
If Canada is one of several options, the comparison of study destinations sets it against the UK, the USA, Australia and Europe.
What is a provincial attestation letter, and who needs one?
A provincial or territorial attestation letter, called a PAL or TAL, is a letter from the province where you will study confirming there is space for you under Canada’s cap. Most post-secondary applicants must upload one with the study permit application.
How the cap works
IRCC sets a national ceiling, then divides it among the provinces and territories. Each province passes its share to its schools, and the schools issue PALs to students they admit. As of 18 September 2026, IRCC says 309,670 study permit application spaces are available under the cap for 2026. That is a ceiling on applications accepted for processing, not a promise of approvals.
IRCC’s PAL page says letters issued between 1 January and 31 December 2026 are valid until 31 December 2026. A 2025 letter cannot be carried into this year. If your school cannot issue a PAL because its share is used up, you cannot apply for that program until it can.
| Type of study | PAL or TAL needed? | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| College diploma, certificate or postgraduate diploma | Yes, in most cases | Ask the school how and when it issues the PAL |
| Bachelor’s degree | Yes, in most cases | Upload the PAL with the application, not afterwards |
| Master’s or doctoral degree at a public DLI | No, from 1 January 2026 | Confirm the school is public and the program is degree-granting |
| Master’s at a private institution | Yes | The public DLI exemption does not apply |
| Preschool, primary or secondary school | No | Other rules apply for minors, such as proof of care |
| Any program in Quebec | No PAL, but a CAQ is needed | IRCC treats the CAQ as the attestation letter |
Other exemptions
IRCC’s PAL page also exempts exchange students who pay no tuition at the Canadian school, recipients of Global Affairs Canada scholarships, and students extending their permit at the same school and level. Few Pakistani first-time applicants fall into those groups.
How do you check a college and its letter of acceptance?
Your school must be a designated learning institution, or DLI, and your letter of acceptance must be real and verified by that school. Both checks are part of the application itself.
The DLI list
IRCC’s website says a DLI is a school approved by a provincial or territorial government to host international students. You need a letter of acceptance from a DLI to apply, and for post-secondary study you should confirm the school is on IRCC’s designated learning institutions list. Each DLI has a number, which you enter in the details of intended study section of the form.
IRCC also warns that not every program at a DLI leads to a post-graduation work permit. If working after graduation matters to you, check the program, not just the school.
What a letter of acceptance must show
IRCC’s guide to applying from outside Canada says the letter must be on the institution’s official letterhead and show the exact tuition you must pay, the expected start and finish dates, and the date by which you must register. Check your name, date of birth, program and DLI number against your passport and the DLI list.
Verification by the school
Every post-secondary DLI must confirm through the IRCC Portal that the acceptance letter you uploaded is genuine. IRCC’s document page says applications are returned if the school does not respond by the deadline. A forged or altered letter will fail this check, which is one reason fake admission letters are far riskier than they were a few years ago.
How much does it cost to study in Canada from Pakistan?
The main costs are tuition, living costs, the government fees and travel. Tuition varies more than anything else, so the letter of acceptance is your first real figure.
Tuition
Canadian schools set their own international fees, and they differ by province, school and program. IRCC does not publish a tuition figure. Use the exact tuition in your letter of acceptance, and read the school’s fee page for extra charges such as health insurance, materials and student fees.
| Item | Official figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Living costs, single applicant outside Quebec | CAD 23,448 a year | For applications on or after 1 September 2026 |
| Each additional family member | CAD 6,318 a year | Spouse or child coming with you |
| Earlier figure, single applicant | CAD 22,895 a year | Applied 1 January 2025 to 31 August 2026 |
| Study permit fee | CAD 150 | Per person, including extensions |
| Biometrics fee | CAD 85 | Per person; CAD 170 maximum for a family applying together |
| Tuition | Set by the school | Show at least the first year, as in your acceptance letter |
Converting to rupees
I do not give a rupee figure here, because the exchange rate and tuition both move. Work it out on the day using the State Bank of Pakistan’s rate and the exact tuition in your letter. Then add a margin for fees, travel and the first winter’s clothing, which families often forget.
How do you prove funds and sponsor support for a Canadian study permit?
You must show enough money for tuition, living costs and return travel, without relying on work in Canada. For a program longer than a year, IRCC’s guide asks for proof of support for the first year.
What IRCC accepts
- bank statements for the past six months, in Pakistan or Canada;
- a guaranteed investment certificate (GIC) from a Canadian financial institution;
- proof that you have paid first-year tuition and housing, such as a receipt;
- proof of a scholarship or funded program;
- proof of a Canadian bank account in your name if you have transferred money;
- a letter from the person or school giving you money, with their employment and relationship to you.
The GIC after SDS
Under SDS, a GIC was compulsory. Now it is one option among several. I still find it useful for Pakistani families, because it shows living money already placed in Canada and released to the student in instalments. It does not replace tuition evidence.
Sponsor evidence from Pakistan
Most Pakistani students are funded by parents, often a father with a business or a salaried job. An officer wants to see that the money is real, belongs to the sponsor and comes from a believable source.
- six months of bank statements with ordinary activity, stamped by the bank;
- a bank letter confirming the balance and account history;
- income evidence: salary slips and employer letter, or NTN, tax returns and business registration;
- for land income, the fard or other ownership record and evidence of crop or rental income;
- a signed sponsorship letter and a family registration certificate from NADRA showing the relationship.
A large deposit a few weeks before the application needs an explanation, such as the sale of a plot, with the sale deed and the bank credit. Money borrowed for the day of the statement tends to show, and it can raise a misrepresentation issue as well as a refusal.
What documents do Pakistani students need for a Canadian study permit?
IRCC’s document page lists a letter of acceptance, a PAL or CAQ in most cases, a passport, proof of funds and, where needed, a medical exam, police certificate and proof of care for minors. It also recommends a letter of explanation.
Academic documents
- matric and intermediate certificates, attested by IBCC where the school asks for it;
- bachelor’s transcripts and degree, attested by HEC;
- an English test result the school accepts, such as IELTS, PTE or TOEFL;
- experience letters if you have worked since graduating.
The English test is set by the school for admission. IRCC’s study permit document list does not name a particular test, but your score should support your ability to follow the course you chose.
The study plan
IRCC calls it a letter of explanation. In practice it is the document that answers the officer’s questions: why this program, why Canada, why this school, how it builds on what you studied, and what you will do in Pakistan afterwards. Write it yourself, in plain English, with facts that match your other papers.
Family ties and your return
Nothing on IRCC’s list is called “ties”, but the officer must be satisfied you will leave. Evidence of family, property, a job offer or a family business in Pakistan, and a sensible career path, helps answer that question honestly.
Do you need biometrics and a medical exam for a Canadian study permit?
Usually both. Biometrics are fingerprints and a photo given at a visa application centre. The medical exam is done by a doctor approved by IRCC, known as a panel physician.
Biometrics in Pakistan
IRCC’s application page says applicants aged 14 to 79 receive a biometrics instruction letter and have 30 days from the letter’s date to attend. Pay the CAD 85 biometrics fee when you submit, to avoid delay. In Pakistan, the visa application centres are run by VFS Global in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. IRCC’s guide says biometrics are normally given once every 10 years, so a recent visitor visa applicant may not need to give them again.
The medical exam
As of 18 September 2026, IRCC’s country list marks Pakistan as a country that needs a medical exam. If you have lived in Pakistan for six months or more in the year before you travel, and you plan to stay in Canada for more than six months, you need an immigration medical exam. A full degree or diploma always meets that length.
Your own doctor cannot do it. You must use an IRCC panel physician. IRCC allows an upfront medical exam for students, which means you book it before applying and upload the confirmation the doctor gives you. That usually saves weeks.
Police certificates
IRCC may ask for a police certificate. In Pakistan that normally means a police character certificate from the relevant police authority. If you have lived in another country for a long period, check whether a certificate from there is needed too.
How long does a Canadian study permit take from Pakistan?
IRCC does not publish a fixed time. It shows a current estimate on its processing times tool, and the figure changes. Check it yourself for a study permit applied for from outside Canada.
Real timelines depend on things the tool does not show: how quickly your school verifies the acceptance letter, when you give biometrics, whether you did the medical upfront, and whether the officer asks for more documents. IRCC’s guide notes that processing times vary between visa offices.
My practical rule is to apply as soon as you have the acceptance letter, PAL and funds in place. Waiting for a September intake until July leaves no room for a request for documents, and no room to fix a refusal before the start date.
What is different about studying in Quebec?
Quebec selects its own students. Instead of a PAL, you need a Quebec Acceptance Certificate, the Certificat d’acceptation du Québec or CAQ, from Quebec’s immigration ministry before you apply to IRCC.
IRCC’s guide says the CAQ serves as the attestation letter for Quebec. The federal CAD 23,448 funds figure does not apply there. IRCC’s funds page says Quebec applicants must meet the amounts set by Quebec’s immigration ministry, so check that ministry’s website for the current figure. Many Quebec programs are taught in French, and the school will set its own language test.
Can students work in Canada, and can family come too?
Students can work limited hours if their permit allows it. Family members can apply to come, but work rights for spouses are now narrow.
Work hours
As of 18 September 2026, IRCC says eligible students can work up to 24 hours a week off campus during academic sessions, and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks such as summer and winter holidays. You must meet the conditions on your permit, and you are responsible for tracking your hours.
Part-time wages cannot count towards your proof of funds. IRCC says you must show enough money without working in Canada. After graduation, some students can apply for a post-graduation work permit, but only after an eligible program. Check that before you choose.
Spouse or common-law partner
IRCC’s page on helping your spouse work in Canada says that since 21 January 2025, an open work permit is available only to spouses of students in master’s programs of 16 months or longer, doctoral programs, certain professional degree programs and some pilot programs. Most college and bachelor’s students cannot bring a spouse on that permit. Each family member also adds CAD 6,318 a year to the funds you must show.
Children
IRCC says minor children do not need a study permit for preschool, primary or secondary school if they are with a parent authorised to study or work in Canada. IRCC still recommends a study permit for them, and they must hold valid status such as a visitor record.
Bringing the whole family on a first application can change how an officer reads your ties to Pakistan. That is not a rule, just a factor to weigh honestly.
Why are Canadian study permits refused for Pakistani students?
Most refusal letters I see from Pakistani families come back to three doubts: will you leave, is the study genuine, and is the money real. Those map onto the conditions in section 216 of the regulations.
Doubts about leaving Canada
The officer must be satisfied you will leave at the end of your stay. Weak family or economic ties to Pakistan, an older applicant with a long career gap, or a whole family moving together can all feed that doubt. Dual intent is lawful, but it has to sit alongside a believable plan to comply.
Doubts about the purpose of study
A bachelor’s graduate in computer science applying for a one-year college certificate in business, or an MBA holder applying for a diploma, invites the question of why. A study plan that does not explain the step back, or that reads like a template, rarely helps.
Doubts about the money
Unexplained lump sums, a sponsor whose declared income cannot support the balance, or statements that do not match tax records are frequent problems. The fix is documentary, not verbal.
If you have already been refused, the guide to a refused student visa explains how to read the reasons and decide whether to reapply.
How do you avoid agent fraud and fake letters of acceptance?
Two risks matter here. One is fraud, especially fake admission letters. The other is Canadian law on who may be paid to help with an immigration application.
Fake letters of acceptance
The pattern is familiar in Pakistan: an agent produces a “college admission” quickly, takes the fee in cash and files the application. The letter is then not verified by the school, and the file is returned, or the student arrives and finds no enrolment. Worse, section 40 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act makes misrepresentation a ground of inadmissibility, lasting five years. A false document is your problem, even if the agent made it.
- Apply to the school yourself, or confirm your application with the school directly.
- Pay tuition only to the school’s own bank account, never to a personal account.
- Never sign blank forms, and keep your IRCC account login yourself.
- Read every page before it is submitted in your name.
Who may be paid to advise you
Section 91 of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act bans anyone except authorised representatives from representing or advising a person on an immigration application for payment. That includes the study permit application. Authorised representatives are licensees of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC), lawyers and paralegals who are members of a Canadian provincial or territorial law society, and notaries of the Chambre des notaires du Québec.
IRCC’s page on choosing a representative says that if you pay a representative who is not authorised, it may return or refuse your application. It also says payment in any form counts, not just cash. So if someone is charging you for advice on the permit itself, ask for their CICC licence number or law society membership and check it on the official register.
I am a qualified lawyer in Pakistan, not a CICC licensee or a member of a Canadian law society. This site gives general information and a free first consultation only. Paid advice or representation on your study permit application needs an authorised representative. The guide to checking a visa consultant in Pakistan shows how to verify who you are dealing with.
How do you apply, step by step?
The order below suits most Pakistani students applying for a college or university program. Start with the school and the money, and the form becomes the easy part.
Choose a program at a designated learning institution
Pick a program you can explain, at a school that appears on IRCC’s designated learning institutions list. Note the school’s DLI number. If you may want to work after graduating, check whether the program is eligible for a post-graduation work permit before you accept.
Get your letter of acceptance and your PAL or CAQ
Apply to the school with attested transcripts and an English test result it accepts. Once admitted, ask the school how it issues the provincial or territorial attestation letter, unless you are exempt. For Quebec, apply for the CAQ instead.
Arrange and document the money
Show first-year tuition, at least CAD 23,448 for living costs for a single applicant applying on or after 1 September 2026, and return travel. Use a GIC, a tuition receipt, six months of bank statements and sponsor documents that explain where the money came from.
Book an upfront medical exam
Pakistan is on IRCC’s list of countries that need a medical exam for stays over six months. Book an IRCC panel physician, complete the exam before you apply and upload the confirmation sheet the doctor gives you.
Apply online and pay the fees
Apply online through your IRCC account from Pakistan. Upload the letter of acceptance, PAL or CAQ, passport, proof of funds, a clear study plan and any other documents asked for. Pay the CAD 150 study permit fee and the CAD 85 biometrics fee together.
Give biometrics within 30 days
When the biometrics instruction letter arrives, book an appointment at a VFS Global visa application centre in Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi and attend within 30 days of the letter’s date.
Receive the decision and travel
If approved, you receive a port of entry letter and, where needed, a visa in your passport. Carry your acceptance letter, funds evidence and the letter of introduction on the plane. The study permit itself is issued by the border officer when you arrive.
What goes wrong most often?
Choosing a program the officer cannot follow
A student picks a short college certificate because it was cheap or had a PAL available, not because it fits their past studies or career. The study plan cannot explain it, and the refusal cites purpose of visit.
Using the old funds figure
Files prepared in summer and submitted after 1 September 2026 must meet the new CAD 23,448 figure, not CAD 22,895. Check the date you will actually submit.
Last-minute deposits
A sponsor account that jumps a few weeks before the statement, with no explanation, is one of the clearest signs of borrowed money. Build the paper trail months ahead.
Leaving the medical until after applying
Pakistani applicants usually need a medical exam. Waiting for IRCC to ask adds weeks. Book a panel physician before you apply.
Trusting an unverified letter
A letter of acceptance that the school never issued will fail verification. The mild outcome is a returned application. The serious one is a five-year misrepresentation finding for using a false document.
A realistic example
This is a hypothetical illustration, not a real client. Hamza, 24, from Multan, has a BS in computer science from a public university and has worked for a year at a software house. He wants a two-year master’s degree in data science at a public university in Ontario for the September 2027 intake.
- Ten months before. He gets his degree attested by HEC, sits IELTS, and checks the university on IRCC’s DLI list.
- Eight months before. He applies directly on the university’s portal and receives an offer. Because it is a master’s at a public DLI, he does not need a PAL.
- Six months before. His father, a salaried engineer with a small rental income, keeps the funds in one account. The earlier sale of a plot is documented with the deed and the bank credit.
- Five months before. Hamza completes an upfront medical with a panel physician and writes a study plan linking his job, the degree and a role back in Pakistan.
- Four months before. He applies online, pays CAD 150 and CAD 85, and gives biometrics at VFS Global in Lahore within the 30 days.
No one can guarantee his result. His file simply lets the officer check each fact.
The version that goes wrong
Now imagine his cousin Areeba, 27, from Sahiwal, with an MBA. An agent offers a one-year business certificate in a college “with SDS processing”, sends a letter of acceptance within two days and asks for tuition in cash. The school never confirms the letter through the IRCC Portal, so the application is returned. Had it been processed, a fake letter could have led to a five-year ban. Even with a genuine letter, an MBA holder moving to a certificate would need a clear explanation.
Key takeaways
- The Student Direct Stream ended on 8 November 2024, so every Pakistani study permit goes through the regular stream.
- Most post-secondary applicants need a PAL or TAL; master’s and doctoral students at public DLIs do not from 1 January 2026, and Quebec needs a CAQ.
- For applications on or after 1 September 2026, show first-year tuition, at least CAD 23,448 for living costs and travel money.
- Your school must verify your letter of acceptance through the IRCC Portal, or the application is returned.
- Pakistani applicants usually need an upfront medical exam with a panel physician and biometrics at VFS Global within 30 days.
- Students can work up to 24 hours a week off campus during term, but wages do not count towards proof of funds.
- Refusals usually turn on ties, purpose and money, so the study plan and sponsor papers carry the file.
- Paid advice on the study permit application itself must come from an authorised representative under section 91.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Student Direct Stream still open for Pakistani students?
No. IRCC ended the Student Direct Stream at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time on 8 November 2024. Applications received after that point go through the regular study permit stream. As of 18 September 2026, there is no faster SDS route for Pakistan, so be careful with anyone who still sells an “SDS file”.
How much money do I need to show for a Canadian study permit?
As of 18 September 2026, IRCC asks a single applicant who applies on or after 1 September 2026 to show at least CAD 23,448 a year for living costs outside Quebec, plus CAD 6,318 for each family member who comes along. That is on top of first-year tuition and travel. Quebec uses its own amounts.
Do I still need a GIC now that SDS has ended?
A GIC is no longer a set requirement for a Pakistani applicant, but IRCC still lists a guaranteed investment certificate from a Canadian financial institution as one accepted way to prove funds. Many students still use one because it shows living money already sitting in Canada. Bank statements and sponsor evidence are also accepted.
Do I need a provincial attestation letter for a master’s degree?
Not if the program is a degree-granting master’s or doctoral program at a public designated learning institution. IRCC says those students do not need a PAL or TAL from 1 January 2026. A master’s at a private institution, a postgraduate diploma or a college certificate still needs one, and Quebec needs a CAQ.
What is the study permit fee for Canada?
As of 18 September 2026, IRCC’s fee list shows CAD 150 for a study permit and CAD 85 for biometrics per person, with a CAD 170 maximum for a family applying together. Pay both when you submit. The VFS Global service charges, medical exam, courier and translation costs are extra.
Where do Pakistani students give biometrics for Canada?
At a VFS Global visa application centre in Islamabad, Lahore or Karachi. You book an appointment after IRCC sends a biometrics instruction letter, and you have 30 days from the date of that letter to attend. IRCC’s guide says biometrics are normally given once every 10 years.
Do Pakistani students need a medical exam for Canada?
In most cases, yes. IRCC’s country list marks Pakistan as a country that needs a medical exam for temporary residents who have lived there for six months or more in the past year and plan to stay in Canada longer than six months. The exam must be done by an IRCC panel physician, and it can be done before you apply.
How long does a Canadian study permit take from Pakistan?
IRCC does not publish a fixed figure. It shows a changing processing time on its official processing times tool, which you can check by choosing a study permit applied for from outside Canada. Add time for the school to verify your acceptance letter, biometrics and any medical exam, and apply well before the program starts.
How many hours can I work while studying in Canada?
As of 18 September 2026, IRCC says eligible students can work up to 24 hours a week off campus during academic sessions and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks, such as summer and winter holidays. This depends on meeting the conditions on your study permit. Never plan your fees around part-time wages.
Can my wife or husband come with me and work in Canada?
They can apply to accompany you, but an open work permit for a student’s spouse is now limited. IRCC lists spouses of students in master’s programs of 16 months or longer, doctoral programs, certain professional degree programs and some pilot programs. Spouses of most college and undergraduate students do not qualify for that permit.
Why are so many Pakistani study permits refused?
The commonest refusal reasons are doubts that you will leave Canada at the end of your studies, doubts about the purpose of the study, and doubts about the money. These come from section 216 of Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. A weak study plan, unexplained deposits and a program that repeats your earlier studies all feed those doubts.
Can Ch. Bilal Rasheed help me with my Canadian study permit?
Within clear limits. He is a qualified lawyer in Pakistan, not a CICC licensee or a member of a Canadian law society, and Canadian law lets only authorised representatives be paid to advise on or represent you in a study permit application. The site offers general information and a free first consultation in Lahore, on WhatsApp or by phone. No one can guarantee a visa.
