To manage the cap, IRCC introduced PAL/TAL requirements for most students applying to post-secondary programs. In total, IRCC expects to issue 316,276 study permits to PAL/TAL-required students, while the remainder will go to exempt groups such as international students attending primary or secondary schools (K-12 students) and certain priority cohorts.
IRCC has also set a processing limit of 550,162 applications to ensure enough approvals to meet the cap, accounting for rejections, withdrawals, and incomplete applications.
Study Permit Allocations by Province/Territory for PAL/TAL-Required Students in 2025
- Alberta: 47,338
- British Columbia: 76,087
- Manitoba: 18,591
- New Brunswick: 14,785
- Newfoundland and Labrador: 9,182
- Northwest Territories: 705
- Nova Scotia: 18,602
- Nunavut: 0
- Ontario: 181,590
- Prince Edward Island: 2,435
- Quebec: 162,742
- Saskatchewan: 17,641
- Yukon: 464
Ontario (181,590) and Quebec (162,742) are allocated the highest number of permits for PAL/TAL-required students. Graduate students, who are pursuing master’s or doctoral degrees, are now required to submit PALs, a change effective as of January 24, 2025.
Additionally, exchange students are now exempt from PAL/TAL requirements, joining groups such as K-12 students, existing permit holders extending their study period, and other priority cohorts.
