Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) 

Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL) for Study Permit Applications

Most study permit applicants are required to submit a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL) with their application. This document must be included at the time of application submission, even if you are:

• Applying for prerequisite courses or programs (e.g., language courses or preparatory programs).
• Applying as a family, with multiple applications submitted together.

Validity of a PAL/TAL

• Your PAL/TAL only needs to be valid when we receive your application.
• Unless it includes an expiry date, a PAL/TAL is considered valid until January 21, 2025.
• You can reuse the same PAL/TAL for resubmitting a study permit application, provided it remains valid.

Who Doesn’t Need a PAL/TAL?

You do not need to provide a PAL/TAL if any of the following apply:

Level of Education or Program

• You’re applying to study at:
  • Preschool
  • Primary school (including kindergarten)
  • Secondary school (up to grade 12)
• You’re applying to a school participating in the Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot (FMCSP) and your letter of acceptance identifies you as an FMCSP applicant.
• You’re enrolling in a:
  • Federally designated military college
  • Quebec vocational training program that leads to one of the following:
    • Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS)
    • Attestation of Vocational Specialization (AVS)
    • Skills Training Certificate (STC)
• You’re applying for a master’s or doctoral degree program.

Scholarships and Exemptions

• You’ve received a Global Affairs Canada scholarship.
• You’re exempt from study permit requirements under a public policy addressing a migration crisis or similar pressures.

In-Canada Applications

You’ve already entered Canada and:

• Are applying for a study permit extension or restoration of status.
• Hold a work permit, unless issued through International Experience Canada.
• Are a temporary resident who is a visiting or exchange student at a designated learning institution (DLI).
• Are under a removal order but cannot currently be removed from Canada.
• Hold a temporary resident permit valid for at least 6 months.
• Are a protected person.
• Are eligible for permanent residence under one of the following:
  • Humanitarian and compassionate grounds
  • Public policy
  • Spouse or common-law partner in Canada class

Family Members in Canada

You’re a family member of a foreign national in Canada who is one of the following:

• A study permit holder
• A work permit holder
• A temporary resident permit holder (valid for at least 6 months)
• A member of armed forces under the Visiting Forces Act
• An accredited foreign government representative
• A participant in certain sports activities or events
• A worker with a foreign news company
• A religious worker
• A protected person
• Eligible for permanent residence based on:
  • Humanitarian and compassionate grounds
  • Public policy
  • Spouse or common-law partner in Canada class

Proof of Exception

If you meet any of the above exemptions, you must provide supporting documents to prove your eligibility. This ensures you won’t need to submit a PAL/TAL with your study permit application.