In short: To study in Canada as an international student you apply for: Study permit. Study permit applications must be made online, except for applicants with a disability or certain special travel documents. Study permit processing fee CAN$150, paid online; biometrics fee is extra. Varies by country; the IRCC tool shows current estimates based on inventory and staffing. Every line on this page was read on an official page, which is linked beside it; the facts were last checked on 6 October 2026.
| Visa or permit | Study permit |
|---|---|
| Application fee | CAD 150 (canada.ca) |
| Money to show | CAD 23,448 per year (canada.ca) |
| Processing time | Varies by country; the IRCC tool shows current estimates based on inventory and staffing. (canada.ca) |
| Where you apply | Study permit applications must be made online, except for applicants with a disability or certain special travel documents. (canada.ca) |
| Last checked |
Authority: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Official portal: IRCC Canada.
Letter of acceptance plus, in most cases, a PAL/TAL from the school (CAQ for Quebec); public-DLI master's/doctoral students exempt from PAL/TAL since 1 January 2026.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
Source: canada.ca · checked on
Usually you must accept the offer and pay tuition in part or full to get a PAL/TAL; tuition is additional to the living-funds amount.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
Outside Quebec, applications from 1 September 2026: CAN$23,448/year for 1 person, CAN$29,192 for 2, excluding tuition and transport. Quebec sets its own amounts.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
Study permit processing fee CAN$150, paid online; biometrics fee is extra.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
| Charge | Amount | What the official page says | Source, checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa fee (government) | CAD 150 | Study permit processing fee CAN$150, paid online; biometrics fee is extra. | canada.ca, 15 September 2026 |
| Biometrics fee | CAD 85 | Fingerprints and photo required, fee CAN$85 per person, valid 10 years; give them within 30 days of the instruction letter. | canada.ca, 15 September 2026 |
Study permit applications must be made online, except for applicants with a disability or certain special travel documents.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
A study permit must be applied for online through an IRCC account, which is also used to pay fees, submit the application and check its status. Most applicants aged 14 to 79 also give biometrics within 30 days of the letter.
IRCC secure account (online account): canada.ca
Source: canada.ca · checked on
The processing fee and, in most cases, the biometrics fee are paid online in your account at the end of the application, when you submit it. Third-party fees such as a medical exam are paid directly to that third party.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
An interview is not a standard step, but while processing the application IRCC may ask you to attend an interview with its officials in your country.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
Study permit applicants follow their application in the IRCC application status tracker, which needs your unique client identifier (UCI). Your IRCC secure account also shows the status and any letters.
Official tracking page: ircc-tracker-suivi.apps.cic.gc.ca
Source: canada.ca · checked on
The current time for a study permit from outside Canada is shown only in the official processing times tool after you choose the application type; it is an estimate of how long a new application received today would take.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
If approved, you get a letter of approval in your online account and a port of entry letter of introduction. If you need a visitor visa, it is placed in your passport; otherwise an eTA is linked to your passport.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
IRCC checks the application for missing documents. If it is incomplete, it may return it unprocessed or ask for the missing documents, which you send through your online account or the IRCC web form.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
Steps as read on the official pages; checked on 15 September 2026.
Varies by country; the IRCC tool shows current estimates based on inventory and staffing.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
Fingerprints and photo required, fee CAN$85 per person, valid 10 years; give them within 30 days of the instruction letter.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
No health insurance requirement is stated on the IRCC study permit pages checked.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
Medical exam needed if staying over 6 months and you lived in or visited a designated country for 6+ months in the prior year.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
Not routinely required; you may be asked for a police clearance certificate.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
No language test requirement is stated in the IRCC study permit guide; any requirement is set by the school.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
Documents not in English or French need an English or French translation plus an affidavit from the translator.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
No apostille or legalisation requirement is stated on the study permit pages checked.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
Off-campus work up to 24 hours per week during academic sessions and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks, if eligible.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
Spouse/partner open work permit only if the student is in a master's of 16+ months, a doctoral program or listed professional degree programs.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
Present the letter of introduction (and visitor visa if applicable) at the port of entry, where the officer issues the study permit.
Source: canada.ca · checked on
The official pages say more for applicants in: Pakistan.
ForiForeign prepares your student visa application with you and guides you through each step: the documents, the forms and the order to do them in. You file the application yourself with the authority named above, and that authority decides. ForiForeign is not a visa office or an agent of Canada, and no one can promise a visa. Rules, fees and dates change: confirm each one on the official page linked beside it before you pay or travel.
The same facts for software and AI assistants: /facts/visa/ca.json.
ForiForeign.com · admin@foriforeign.com · WhatsApp +92 310 5048760 · Information drawn from official sources shown on each rule; not legal advice.
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