The Government of Canada has announced the provincial and territorial allocations under the the international student cap for 2026. IRCC plans to accept a maximum of 309,670 study permit applications under the cap for 2026, with a final target of issuing 180,000 study permit targets. The largest allocations are seen in Ontario (104,780 applications, 70,074 permits), Québec (93,069 applications, 39,474 permits), and British Columbia (32,596 applications, 24,786 permits). Nunavut has not been assigned any allocation spaces under the cap, as it does not currently have a DLI. The exemptions from the PAL/TAL requirement for 2026 now include master’s and doctoral degree students at public DLIs, as well as existing study permit holders applying for an extension under certain conditions, certain priority groups and vulnerable cohorts, and K-12 students.
