Canada student visas now require a provincial attestation letter

Bhargavee Sisodia

04 Jun 2024

If you are a student planning to study in Canada, this is for you!

International students will need a provincial attestation letter with Visa to study in Canada

For Indian students, Canada has been one of the most popular destinations to study abroad. Every Indian student who is planning to study in Canada is aware that Canada is one of the global education hubs attracting thousands of international students flying over to study with a hope of a greater career build. So far when it comes to the education sector, international students have been making immense contributions to fulfill Canada’s educational campuses as well as the economy. However, in recent years, Canada has seen some noticeable unsustainable growth under international student programs. Therefore, the government of Canada is trying its best to offer opportunities to study in Canada for international students. Some reforms like the Provisional Attestation Letter (PAL) are to make the process easier. This PAL reform which is today an important requirement to study in Canada for international students is to ensure a sustainable international student population growth in Canada. 

According to the reports by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) currently, there will be more than 8 lakh international students with study permits in Canada in 2022. The recently added PAL process will not only strengthen the integrity of the system, but it will also ensure a more positive experience for international students in Canada. The Indian students studying in Canada have been choosing study fields where there is more demand in labor markets, including healthcare, home building, energy, engineering technology, early childhood education, cyber security, etc., which has addressed some significant employee demand.

Latest announcement by the Canada government

The Canadian government has officially announced that starting from January 22, 2024 every international student who wants to study undergraduate and college in Canada must have their study permit applications along with a PAL (Provisional Attestation Letter) issued by the province or the territory the student is planning to study in. The IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada) has specified that every international student who does not carry a PAL, their applications won’t be accepted and will be returned to them, except for those who qualify for an exemption. The PAL (Provisional Attestation Letter) will serve as a verification asset to ensure that the student’s enrollment is not crossing the national limit of enrollments specified for every province and the territories. To study in Canada for international students, you must be aware that each province and territory has been tasked to issue PALs by the deadlines of March 31, 2024. 

You can also read related article: Canada Student Visa Checklist 2024

What is a provincial attestation letter(PAL)?

This letter is a mandate verification or a supporting document which every international student in Canada will require to get admission in any educational institutions in Canada. The international students will have to get this attestation letter from the respective province or territory of Canada where the student is planning to study. 

What is a PAL?

PAL which means Provisional Attestation Letter is a written and signed letter by a province or territory government of Canada. PAL, Provisional Attestation Letter will legalize and confirm that any international student or applicant has the study permit of the specified province or territory. The PAL will include the information of the foreign national full name, date of birth, and home country address. 

Why has the PAL been introduced and mandated?

This proactive reform introduced by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is to ensure equal distribution of international students population and maintain a balance in the regional population growth of Canada. This is also to continue the smooth flow of international students in Canada’s academic and cultural landscape and integrity. Since, the PAL mandate is a temporary reform, it will showcase how it affects international student enrollment and the larger educational scene in Canada over the following two years. It was introduced to boost Canada's position as a top choice for overseas students.

Scope of PAL

Which provinces of Canada have announced their PAL process as of 19th March 2024?

As each province clarifies its intentions for giving attestation letters by March 31, prospective students should stay informed and make sure they meet all of the conditions in order to avoid delays or issues with their study permit applications. Following are the particular provinces that have launched their Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) process and begun sending letters to international students. 

• British Columbia

The IRCC has allotted 53% of provisional attestation letters for public postsecondary schools and 47% for private universities. This allocation by IRCC is to assist every public postsecondary institution in maintaining their respective international student programs while ensuring growth for the year and subsequent years. These distribution percentages are according to the federal allotment of attestation letters so, it does not include any approved study permits. 

• Alberta

The PAL reform in Alberta went into effect on March 1, 2024. The province of Alberta has declared that while submitting the study permit application to study in Alberta, international students must have the letter of acceptance from a certified post-secondary institution as well as a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL). Every international student will need these two documents for submitting a study permit application to IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada). 

• Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan has been allotted around 12,000 PALs to provide them to potential future international students for the year 2024. If you are planning to study in Saskatchewan, you must be aware that starting from March 13, 2024, this province has started providing provincial attestation letters to eligible postsecondary institutions. 

• Manitoba

International students who are planning to study in Canada and require a PAL from Manitoba province, you may have to pay a deposit of your chosen DLI before any institution can apply for a PAL on your behalf. 

• Quebec

If you are planning to study in Quebec, Canada, along with your study visa Canada, you require a provincial attestation letter of the issuing of your Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ), and this will be provided to you by the Government of Quebec. On February 13, 2024, the MIFI started issuing an attestation letter confirming the issuance of Certificate d’acceptation du Quebec which means Quebec Acceptance Certificate for the international students to study in Quebec. 

This letter will allow international students to apply for study permits, as per the federal government’s instructions announced on January 22, 2024. From this moment, neither the applicant nor any educational institute can take any further action. 

• Ontario (Begun on 30th March 2024)

Ontario has been allocated with 96% of study permits applications which includes publicly assisted colleges and universities, and 4% has been allocated to Ontario’s language schools, private universities, and other institutions. Also, career colleges will not be accepting any applications of international students. 

For the potential international students who are considering Canada as their study destination, the latest Canada student visa reforms are extremely important, particularly if you are aiming to study in provinces such as Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and more. The introduction of a provincial attestation letter (PAL) has added an additional procedural step that emphasizes the importance of meticulous preparation on the side of the potential international student. 

For Quebec-bound international students, you need to attach a specific declaration in the Certificate d'Acceptation du Quebec (CAQ) that meets the requirement for an attestation letter. This will streamline the procedure and will ensure that the international students are in compliance with the updated regulations and reform. In the provinces such as British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, today PALs are issued directly to every educational institution, who then distributes them to qualified international students. This technique intends to streamline the application process by integrating universities and colleges in the issuance of PALs, hence speeding up the entire process.

Instructions to use PAL as a study permit in Canada

• If you are an international student, for your application to be accepted for processing you must have a provincial attestation letter. The international students whose applications were submitted before January 22, 2024, at 8:30 a.m. EST are exempted. 
• Applications for study permits submitted by the Department after the effective date of these Instructions that do not include a provincial attestation letter will not be processed, and processing fees will be returned.

Which provinces to start next?

All provinces must disclose their process by March 31st, 2024. The rest of the provinces will soon make their PAL procedure announcements. 

What is the validity period of an issued PAL?

The validity period of an issued PAL is for a year. The provinces and Institutions have already issued PALs which will be valid until the beginning of 2025.

Facts you need to know about PAL

• The PAL must be submitted as part of your study permit application. 
• Every province (state) has been allotted a specific number of provincial attestation letters. 
• The PAL distribution is based on the province's population proportion. Master's and PhD students do not need a PAL.

Importance of PAL

• It is an obligatory document that all overseas students must present with their Canada student visa application for Canada. 
• The PAL will assist provinces in maintaining a balanced intake of overseas students who have applied through the institutions. 
• A PAL is required for proof and documentation that student acceptance to an approved DLI has been validated by the appropriate province. 
• The province will issue PAL to the corresponding institution, which subsequently issues it to the student.

If you are an international student planning to study in Canada, you should go through the Canadian government's criteria to guarantee your eligibility to study in Canada. If everything is in order, you must gather all of the necessary papers, including your acceptance letter, an attestation letter from the province or territory where you intend to study, a passport, and proof of financial assistance, before submitting your application. You can acquire your permission faster by applying online through the Student Direct Stream (SDS), which is only available to legal residents of 14 countries. With this cost-effective option, you can accelerate your road to study in Canada. 

Do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have; we have an approachable admissions department that will assist you in navigating through the procedure. Feel free to talk to us on call number +91 75750 20920 and get in touch with our advisors that will answer all your questions, walk you through the application procedure; and finally, prepare you for a wonderful journey abroad.

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