Canada Study Permit — Student Visa

📋 Digital Nomad 🏠 Residency 🏆 Citizenship 🎓 Student

🎓 OVERVIEW

Country 🇨🇦 Canada

Visa Name Study Permit

Local Name Permis d'études

Status Active

Renewable Yes

Authorization for international students to study at Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) in Canada. Required for study programs longer than 6 months. Covers degree, diploma, and certificate programs. Subject to a national intake cap since 2024.

💰 TUITION & COSTS

Tuition Policy Full fee

Tuition Range $7,000 – $45,000/year

Proof of Funds $15,800 /year

Funds Type Bank statement

Scholarships Available

International tuition varies: college diplomas CAD $8,000–$20,000/yr, undergraduate CAD $20,000–$55,000/yr, graduate CAD $10,000–$55,000/yr. Professional programs (MBA, law, medicine) can exceed CAD $60,000/yr.

💼 WORK RIGHTS DURING STUDY

Work Allowed Yes

Term Hours 24 hrs/week

Vacation Hours Unlimited

Permission Automatic

Freelance Allowed

Off-campus work up to 24 hours/week during academic sessions (increased from 20 hours in November 2024). Full-time work during scheduled breaks (winter/summer holidays). No separate work permit needed if studying at a DLI on a program of 6+ months leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate. On-campus work is unrestricted hours.

🎯 POST-STUDY WORK OPTIONS

Program	Type	Duration	Min Degree	Work	PR Path
Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)	Work permit	36mo	Diploma	Unrestricted	Yes

🗣️ LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS

Test	Purpose	Language	Min Score	Details
IELTS Academic	Admission	English	6.5	Score varies by institution: 6.0–7.0 overall typical. For PGWP eligibility: CLB 7 equivalent required for university graduates.
TOEFL iBT	Admission	English	86	Score varies by institution: 70–100+ typical range.
PTE Academic	Admission	English	60	Increasingly accepted by Canadian institutions.
TEF Canada / TCF Canada	Admission	French	—	Required for French-language programs. Also used for PGWP language requirement.

💵 FEES & COSTS

Fee	Type	Amount	Frequency
Study Permit Application Fee	Application	$110	One time
Biometrics Fee	Biometrics	$62	One time

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 DEPENDENTS & FAMILY

Dependents Allowed

Restriction Since January 2025, only spouses of master's students (16+ months) or certain professional/eligible programs can get an open work permit. Undergraduate and college diploma students' spouses are no longer eligible for work permits.

Spouse Work Unrestricted

Conditions Since January 21, 2025, spousal open work permits are limited to partners of master's students (16+ months) or certain professional programs. Undergraduate and college program spouses are generally no longer eligible. Extensions require the student not to be in the final term.

🛤️ LONG-TERM PATHWAY

Post-Study Visa Available

Work Permit Possible

Permanent Residency Possible

Citizenship After 5 years

Study Time Counts 50% credit

📝 HOW TO APPLY

Method Online

Processing 28-84 days

Interview Not required

Official Site www.canada.ca

Health Insurance Not required

📌 NOTES & CAVEATS

National study permit intake cap introduced in 2024, set at 408,000 for 2026. Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL) required for most programs, with 2026 exemptions for master's and doctoral students at public DLIs. Student Direct Stream (SDS) discontinued November 2024 — all applicants now use regular stream. PGWP eligibility now has field-of-study and language requirements added in 2024.

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Last verified: May 3, 2026. Source