To enhance the integrity of the international student system in Canada, Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced on January 22, 2024 that a provincial attestation letter (PAL) would be required for most new study permit applications. The Government of Ontario now has a PAL process in place.
Key Information
IRCC has temporarily limited the number of international study permit applications that can be made for most post-secondary programs. The PAL serves as proof that the applicant has been accounted for under a provincial or territorial allocation within the national cap.
To confirm your spot at Brock, we encourage you to accept your offer early. A non-refundable tuition deposit may also be required, so please check your offer letter.
To determine your eligibility for a PAL, you must submit a PAL request form available on your student portal after you have accepted your offer, and, if applicable, paid your non-refundable tuition deposit. Final approval by the Government of Ontario must be granted before a letter can be issued. Please monitor your student portal as applicants eligible for a PAL will have the authorized letter uploaded once it has been approved.
Important note: The number of PALs made available by the Government to each post-secondary institution is limited. We encourage you to accept your offer, pay your tuition deposit (if applicable) and complete your PAL request form as early as possible.
No, if you have a valid study permit, you do not require a PAL to apply for an extension. Extensions can only be made from inside Canada. Please check the expiry date of your study permit carefully. We recommend you apply for an extension 3-4 months before your study permit expires. If you need help or have questions, please join one of our study permit extension webinars as posted on ExperienceBU.
You do not need a PAL if you are a masters or doctoral degree student.
You also do not need a PAL if you submitted your study permit application before January 22, 2024 at 8:30 am. If you didn’t submit your application by this time, please use our “Do I need a PAL?” tool or check the IRCC list of PAL exemptions.
No, you need a PAL. Your application will be returned without a required PAL.
Your PAL must be valid at the time IRCC receives your application. All PALs are valid until January 21, 2025 unless a different expiry date is noted on the letter. You can resubmit a study permit application with the same PAL if it’s still valid.
