Canada remains a top destination for global learners, but recent policy changes mean that study permit applicants must navigate a far more controlled and competitive environment. On the heels of the 2024–2025 international student cap, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has released the 2026 Provincial and Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL) allocations—a key framework that will shape how many students can begin their studies in Canada next year.
For 2026, IRCC expects to issue up to 180,000 study permits to applicants who require a Provincial Attestation Letter. This represents part of the government’s ongoing effort to stabilize growth in the international student program, protect housing availability, and ensure high-quality education standards. But while the total number may appear large, the approval process is now governed by a set of strict calculations that applicants must fully understand if they want to increase their chances of success.
In this article, we break down how the 2026 allocations work, why approval rates cannot increase, and what this means for anyone planning to apply for a Canadian study permit.
How IRCC Calculated the 2026 PAL Allocations
IRCC has stated that Canada will issue a maximum of 180,000 approved study permits for programs requiring a PAL in 2026. To divide this cap fairly across provinces and territories, IRCC reviewed each region’s historical approval rates from 2024 and 2025. The logic is simple: if a province tends to approve a certain percentage of applications, IRCC calculates how many total applications that province must receive in order to meet its share of the 180,000 approved permits.
This means the allocations are reverse-engineered—starting from the number of approved permits Canada can issue, and working backwards to determine how many total applications are needed under each province’s typical approval rate.
For example, British Columbia has been allocated:
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32,596 PALs, which IRCC predicts will translate into
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24,786 approved study permits
This demonstrates how IRCC is using prior approval rates to regulate outcomes. Even if applicants collectively submit stronger documents in 2026, the system is designed to maintain similar approval percentages, not increase them.
The Key Takeaway: Approval Rates Cannot Rise in 2026
Typically, in a fair and competitive immigration system, improving the quality of applications should naturally lead to a higher approval rate. But in 2026, IRCC’s allocation model prevents this from happening.
To maintain the national approval cap of 180,000, IRCC must keep approval rates at the same levels recorded in 2024 and 2025. This ensures that each province stays within its allocated share of approved permits.
What does this mean?
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Even if applicants provide stronger documentation
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Even if colleges and universities improve compliance
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Even if representatives submit more complete and accurate files
Approval rates will stay almost identical to the previous years.
This creates what experts describe as a deterministic system—the outcome is shaped less by the quality of the overall applicant pool and more by strict numerical limits set by the federal government. For applicants, it means the competition will remain intense and outcomes more predictable at a systemic level, even though individual approval decisions still depend on the applicant’s merits.
Why IRCC Is Maintaining a Controlled Study Permit Environment
Several factors influenced the federal decision to maintain the cap and freeze approval rates:
1. Protecting Housing Capacity
Canada’s housing supply has not kept pace with population growth. IRCC wants to ensure that new international students do not face overcrowded or unaffordable housing markets.
2. Ensuring Institutional Accountability
Some institutions grew rapidly without sufficient oversight. By controlling the number of study permit approvals, IRCC can regulate growth and ensure program quality.
3. Preventing Systemic Pressure
Rapid increases in approval rates would strain local services such as transit, healthcare, and employment opportunities.
4. Stabilizing the International Education System
A predictable system allows provinces, universities, and colleges to plan better and avoid sudden surges.
What This Means for Future Study Permit Applicants
If you intend to apply for a Canadian study permit in 2026, you need to be aware of the implications of this allocation model.
1. Demand Will Continue to Exceed Supply
With approval rates capped, the number of applicants will almost certainly exceed the number of approved study permits. This means applicants must prepare stronger, more strategic files than ever before.
2. Provinces With Lower Historical Approval Rates Will Face Tighter Limits
Since allocations depend on past performance, provinces with traditionally low approval rates—often due to high numbers of incomplete or weak applications—will be limited in how many new approvals they can issue. Applicants targeting these regions may face more intense competition.
3. Quality Matters Even More—Even if It Doesn’t Raise the Overall Approval Rate
While IRCC’s system controls overall outcomes, your individual outcome still depends on the strength of your application. A well-organized and well-explained file is more likely to be approved within the limited available space.
4. Students Must Choose Institutions Carefully
Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) with compliance issues or weak track records may struggle under the new cap. Selecting reputable, transparent institutions will be essential.
5. Advance Planning Is Now Crucial
Waiting until the last minute could put applicants at a disadvantage, especially if PAL quotas in certain provinces fill up quickly. Early admission, early PAL requests, and early study permit submissions will be key in 2026.
How Eiffel Immigration Can Help You Navigate the 2026 Study Permit System
At Eiffel Immigration, we understand how dramatically the study permit landscape has changed. The 2026 allocations make it clear that international students must work with knowledgeable and experienced professionals to maximize their chances of success.
Our team supports study permit applicants by:
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Conducting personalized eligibility assessments
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Advising on program choices, institution selection, and provincial strategies
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Preparing strong, complete, and well-explained applications that address officer concerns
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Assisting with the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) process
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Guiding students through SOP writing, financial documentation, and ties-to-home requirements
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Monitoring evolving IRCC policies to provide real-time strategic guidance
In a deterministic system where approval rates are fixed, your competitive advantage is your preparation.
Conclusion
The release of the 2026 PAL allocations marks a new chapter for Canada’s international education system. With IRCC capping approvals at 180,000 and freezing approval rates at their 2024–2025 levels, study permit applicants will need to plan carefully, choose wisely, and submit exceptionally strong applications to succeed.
If you intend to study in Canada in 2026, now is the time to start preparing.
Eiffel Immigration is here to guide you every step of the way. Reach out to our team to build a strong, strategic, and successful study permit application.
