If you’ve been dreaming of japa-by-student-visa, Canada just dropped new numbers you really need to understand.

On November 25, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced how many study permits they plan to issue in 2026 and how those spots will be shared across provinces.

Here’s the Gather breakdown in plain language.

1. The Big Picture: Fewer Study Permits Overall

Canada is still pressing brakes on temporary residents.

• In 2026, IRCC expects to issue up to 408,000 study permits (new students + extensions).
• That includes 155,000 newcomers and 253,000 extensions for people already here.
• This is 7% lower than 2025 (437,000) and 16% lower than 2024 (485,000).

Why? Ottawa wants the temporary-resident share of the population below 5% by the end of 2027. International students are a big part of that temporary group.

2. The Plot Twist: Masters & PhDs Get a PAL/TAL Exemption

Remember the provincial/territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) – that extra letter your school needs from the province to prove you’re inside the cap?

From January 1, 2026:

Master’s and PhD students at public designated learning institutions (DLIs) will NOT need a PAL/TAL.

That means grad students at public universities and colleges are now outside the cap.

Who else is PAL/TAL-exempt in 2026?

• Master’s & doctoral students at public DLIs ✅
• K–12 students (kindergarten to Grade 12) ✅
• Certain federal priority/vulnerable groups ✅
• Existing study-permit holders extending at the same DLI and same level ✅

Everyone else? You’re still playing in the PAL/TAL queue.

3. How the 408,000 Permits Are Sliced

IRCC’s 2026 plan breaks down like this:

• 49,000 – Master’s & PhD students at public DLIs (PAL/TAL-exempt)
• 115,000 – Primary/secondary (K–12) students (PAL/TAL-exempt)
• 64,000 – Other exempt groups
• 180,000 – Students who need a PAL/TAL

Total: 408,000 study permits.

For PAL/TAL-required students, IRCC expects to issue 180,000 permits, but will accept about 309,670 applications to account for refusals. That implies an approval rate closer to 58%, almost double the ~30% seen in early 2025.

So yes, the cap is strict—but the approval odds may actually improve compared to this year.

4. Who Gets What: Provincial Targets

For students who do need a PAL/TAL, IRCC has set permit targets per province/territory.

Expected permits for PAL/TAL-required students in 2026:

• Ontario: 70,074
• Quebec: 39,474
• British Columbia: 24,786
• Alberta: 21,582
• Manitoba: 6,534
• Saskatchewan: 5,436
• Nova Scotia: 4,680
• New Brunswick: 3,726
• Newfoundland & Labrador: 2,358
• Prince Edward Island: 774
• Northwest Territories: 198
• Yukon: 198
• Nunavut: 180 (for K–12; no post-secondary DLIs yet)

To hit those targets, IRCC is allowing 309,670 application spaces for PAL/TAL-required students, again split by province. Ontario, Quebec and B.C. get the biggest chunks of that application quota.

Each province/territory will now decide how to share its quota across universities and colleges.

5. What This Means for You (3 Common Scenarios)

A) You’re Planning Undergrad or College Studies in 2026

You’re likely in the PAL/TAL-required group.

• Your school needs a PAL/TAL slot from the province before you can apply for a study permit.
• In big-demand provinces like Ontario, B.C., and Quebec, expect more competition and earlier deadlines as schools ration their PAL/TALs.

Your moves:

• Apply early for 2026 intakes; late applicants may find PAL/TAL spaces gone.
• Consider smaller provinces (for example, Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick) that have room to grow and actively want students.
• Watch official school emails closely—your offer of admission is not the same as having a PAL/TAL.

B) You’re Already Studying in Canada

Good news: if you’re extending your permit with the same school and same level, you’re PAL/TAL-exempt in 2026.

Still:

• Apply to extend early so you don’t fall out of status.
• Keep an eye on any work-hours or PGWP rule updates; those are separate from this cap but often move in the same news cycle.

C) You Want to Do a Master’s or PhD

You are now the teacher’s favourite child of this policy.

From January 1, 2026:

• No PAL/TAL required (if you’re at a public DLI)
• You’re counted in the 49,000-permit grad bucket, outside the 180,000 cap.

This could make graduate study an even more attractive route for people who:

• Have some work experience already
• Want a clearer pathway to skilled work and permanent residence

Action Nugget → If you’re debating between another undergrad diploma and a master’s at a public university, run the numbers and timelines again. The policy now favours graduate paths.

6. So… Is Canada Still Worth It for International Students?

Short answer: Yes, but you have to be more strategic.

The country is:

• Cutting overall study permits year by year
• Favouring younger (K–12) and higher-skilled (master’s/PhD) students
• Forcing provinces and schools to be selective through PAL/TAL quotas

For you, that means:

• No more last-minute “let me just send in an application and see.”
• You’ll need stronger documentation, earlier planning, and possibly more flexibility on where in Canada you’re willing to study.
• But if you play it smart—especially at the graduate level—Canada is still signalling that it wants talent, innovation, and long-term contributors.

Final Word

This explainer is your tea, not your legal advice.

Before you make big moves, always cross-check with:

• The official IRCC notice on the 2026 cap and allocations
• Your school’s international office
• A licensed immigration professional if your case is complex

Immigration rules are changing fast, but so are immigrant strategies.
If you’re planning to study here, don’t panic—plan. And as these policies keep shifting, Gather will be here to translate government English into real-life “what does this mean for me?”

If you’ve already felt the impact of the cap, hit us up with your story—we might feature your experience in our next “How We Japa (Student Edition)” piece.