Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has recently unveiled the 2025 study permit allocations for provinces and territories. Alongside this update, new requirements have been introduced for master’s and doctoral students. These students must now obtain a PAL (Preliminary Acceptance Letter) or TAL (Tentative Admission Letter) before applying for their study permits. Discover more about these changes and their implications in this article.

2025 Canada Study Permit Cap Announced: Key Updates for International Students

As anticipated, the study permit approval cap for 2025 has been reduced compared to 2024. This year, the cap is 437,000, marking a 10% decrease from the 2024 target of 485,000.

Key Highlights:

• 2025 Study Permit Cap: IRCC aims to issue 437,000 study permits in 2025, a 10% reduction from the previous year’s target.
• New Requirements: Beginning January 24, 2025, master’s and doctoral students, as well as in-Canada applicants, must submit a provincial or territorial attestation letter and will be subject to the cap.
• Exemptions: Exchange students enrolled in schools outside Canada but studying temporarily in the country are not subject to the cap, ensuring Canadian students can continue to benefit from study abroad programs.

How Many Study Permits Will Be Issued in 2025?

The 2025 study permit cap is set at 437,000, with the permits allocated across different groups as follows:

• Graduate degree students: 73,282 permits
• Kindergarten to grade 12 applicants (PAL/TAL-exempt): 72,200 permits
• All other PAL/TAL-exempt applicants: 48,524 permits
• Remaining PAL/TAL-required cohorts: 242,994 permits

Total: 437,000

It’s important to note that these targets include new international students, as well as current students transferring to a different institution or applying for a different level of program (e.g., a Bachelor’s student applying for a Master’s program). This figure does not cover study permit renewals.

How Is the New Study Permit Target Cap Distributed Among Provinces?

A total of 120,000 study permit spots are reserved for PAL-exempt students, leaving 316,000 spots for PAL/TAL-required students to be distributed across provinces and territories. Of these, 73,462 spots are allocated for graduate-level students. Below is a breakdown of the 2025 study permit target for students requiring a PAL/TAL:

Overall Total

• Graduate Degree Students: 73,282
• Remaining PAL/TAL-Required Students: 242,994
• Grand Total: 316,276

Ontario received the largest allocation for international students in 2025, although it was smaller than its 2024 target of 141,000. Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta also received relatively large allocations compared to other provinces and territories in Canada.

Summary

The 2025 study permit cap for international students in Canada allocates 437,000 permits, with 120,000 reserved for PAL-exempt students. The remaining 316,000 permits are designated for PAL/TAL-required applicants, with 73,462 reserved for graduate-level students.

The distribution of study permits across provinces shows Ontario with the largest allocation of 116,740 permits, followed by Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta. Other provinces like Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan have smaller but still significant shares.

This distribution reflects Canada’s continued appeal for international students, with Ontario receiving a reduced allocation compared to its 2024 target, while Quebec, BC, and Alberta maintain relatively high targets. Importantly, the allocation does not include study permit renewals.