POSTPONE YOUR ARRIVAL
On January 24, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada additional groups of students who are now required to have a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) when applying for a study permit. Some highlights of the expanded PAL requirement are:
- These changes will apply to study permit applications that are submitted on or after January 22, 2025. They will apply to both in-Canada study permit extensions and outside Canada study permit applications.
- Master’s and PhD students are required to have a valid PAL.
- Students are exempt from submitting a PAL if they are extending their study permits within Canada at the same designated learning institution and same level of study as their current study permit.
For more information about who will be exempt from a PAL, review IRCC’s website
If you need a PAL for your study permit application, please review our FAQ page here on how to obtain a PAL from ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV. We will continue to update our webpages and online resources to reflect the expanded PAL requirements. Thank you for your patience.
If your study permit application is delayed, you may consider arriving late or applying to defer your admission.
Undergraduates
If you are new to Canada, we do not recommend missing more than the first week of classes as it is very difficult to catch up. Contact your professors or an academic advisor for advice.
If you need to apply to defer your admission, please see the deferral information on the ¶¡ÏãÔ°AVs website. You should also refer to the information online to see course drop dates, tuition and enrollment deadlines.
Graduates
Please contact your Supervisor or Graduate Secretary for assistance. You should also refer to the website for information regarding procedures and important deadlines. Note that financial penalties will apply if you fail to drop your courses within the first 13 days of the term.
Exchange Students
Please contact exchange@sfu.ca.