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Student visa for Canada
Money to show for the visa: CAD 23,448 for a single student, plus tuition and travel. Work while you study: 24 hours a week off campus during sessions, unlimited during scheduled breaks. Checked against the official pages on 24 September 2026.
The numbers
- Money you must show
- CAD 23,448 for a single student, plus tuition and travel
- Visa fee
- CAD 150 study permit, plus CAD 85 biometrics
- Work while you study
- 24 hours a week off campus during sessions, unlimited during scheduled breaks
- Stay after you graduate
- PGWP up to 3 years. Degree graduates exempt from field-of-study restrictions; college graduates are not.
From 1 September 2026. Quebec is separate and higher: CAD 24,617.
canada.ca: Proof of financial support, checked 2026-09-24
IRCC fee list, checked 2026-09-24
canada.ca: Work off campus, checked 2026-09-24
canada.ca: PGWP eligibility, checked 2026-09-24
Worth knowing: A 2026 cap and a 59% refusal rate make the study permit hard to get, and a Provincial Attestation Letter is required for most bachelor's applicants.
The study permit
Fee CAD 150, biometrics CAD 85. Service standard is 60 days from outside Canada, 120 days inside; actual times in mid-2026 ran faster for major markets, around four weeks for India, five to six for Nigeria and Pakistan. Doctoral applicants have had a two-week service since November 2025.
The Student Direct Stream closed on 8 November 2024 and has not returned. There is no financial fast-track any more.
The money. From 1 September 2026, CAD 23,448 for a single applicant, plus CAD 6,318 for each accompanying family member, on top of first-year tuition and travel. This rose from CAD 22,895, which itself replaced CAD 20,635 in 2024 and a long-frozen CAD 10,000 before that. IRCC now adjusts it annually, so expect another rise around September 2027.
Quebec is different and the gap is now large. From 1 January 2026 the requirement for a single student aged 18 or over is CAD 24,617, up from CAD 15,508, more than a tripling for under-18s. Quebec applicants must also satisfy the financial test twice: once for the provincial CAQ (fee CAD 135) and again federally.
The Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) is required for most applicants, a letter confirming a place within the province's allocation under the cap. Exemptions include primary and secondary students, exchange students paying no tuition, and, new from 1 January 2026, master's and doctoral students at public institutions. A PAL is tied to one school and is valid only within the calendar year it was issued, so one issued in 2026 cannot carry a January 2027 start.
The study permit, step by step
Where to apply
At the embassy or consulate of Canada that covers your country, or through the visa application centre it names. Book early: in the busiest months appointments can be weeks away. Apply only through the official website; nobody can sell you a faster place in the queue.
Official pages: canada.ca. Rules change: confirm on the official page before you apply.
By nationality
From Algeria
From Armenia
From Azerbaijan
From Bangladesh
From Brazil
From Cameroon
From China
From Colombia
From Egypt
From Ethiopia
From Georgia
From Ghana
From India
From Indonesia
From Iran
From Iraq
From Japan
From Jordan
From Kazakhstan
From Kenya
From Lebanon
From Malaysia
From Mexico
From Morocco
From Nepal
From Nigeria
From Pakistan
From Philippines
From Russia
From Saudi Arabia
From Senegal
From South Africa
From South Korea
From Sri Lanka
From Syria
From Tanzania
From Tunisia
From Türkiye
From Uganda
From Ukraine
From United Arab Emirates
From United States
From Uzbekistan
From Vietnam
From ZimbabweQuestions students ask
How much money do I need to show for a Canada student visa?
CAD 23,448 for a single student, plus tuition and travel. From 1 September 2026. Quebec is separate and higher: CAD 24,617. (canada.ca: Proof of financial support, checked 2026-09-24).
How much is the student visa fee for Canada?
CAD 150 study permit, plus CAD 85 biometrics.
Can international students work in Canada?
24 hours a week off campus during sessions, unlimited during scheduled breaks.
Can I stay in Canada after I graduate?
PGWP up to 3 years. Degree graduates exempt from field-of-study restrictions; college graduates are not.
This page is general information from official sources, not immigration advice. For a decision about your own case, the official source or a regulated adviser is where that belongs.