ENROLMENT REQUIREMENTS: STUDYING AND WORKING IN CANADA
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.
Although your study permit allows you to study part time (i.e. you are still considered to be "actively pursuing studies" if enrolled part time), part-time enrolment will impact your ability to work on or off campus. It may also affect your eligibility for a Post-Graduation Work Permit.
Contact an International Student Advisor, Immigration Specialist well in advance if you plan to enroll part time during your program.
Undergraduate Students
¶¡ÏãÔ°AV does not require undergraduate students to enroll full time, and you do not need to request the University’s permission to study part time. However, part-time enrolment can impact your legal ability to work in Canada.
We also recommend that you consult with the relevant department/s at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV to discuss any potential implications of part-time enrolment when it comes to your financial aid eligibility, ability to live in Residence, academic planning, and/or any other considerations unrelated to immigration.
From an immigration perspective, as an undergraduate student you may study part time in the Summer term without any impact on your study permit or post-graduation work permit eligibility. Similarly, studying part time in Summer will not impact your on- or off-campus work eligibility, as long as you enroll full time for both the Spring and Fall terms in the same calendar year (see Regularly Scheduled Break for more information).
If you choose to study part time in the Fall or Spring term:
- You will not be eligible to work on or off campus until you resume full-time enrolment.
- Summer can not be considered a scheduled break if you study part time in the term immediately before or after the Summer term. For more information, see Regularly Scheduled Break.
- Studying part time in the Fall and/or Spring term may impact your ability to obtain a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). IRCC policy requires you to have studied full time in all academic terms (Fall and Spring for undergraduate students) throughout your program in order to qualify for a PGWP.
- Consult with an International Student Advisor before you decide to study part time in Fall or Spring so that you can make an informed decision.
- Part-time enrolment in Fall and/or Spring will not impact your study permit as long as you are continuing to actively pursue studies.
Note: You may be a part-time student in your final term of studies without any negative impact on your ability to work or your Post-Graduation Work Permit eligibility, provided you were continuously enrolled full time in all other required terms (i.e. Fall and Spring terms, for undergraduate students at ¶¡ÏãÔ°AV). See Working On Campus and Working Off Campus for details.
Graduate Students
If you are a graduate student and wish to study part time, please note:
- You will not be eligible to work on or off campus until you resume full-time enrolment.
- Studying part time may impact your ability to obtain a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). IRCC policy requires you to have studied full time in all academic terms (Fall and Spring for undergraduate students) throughout your program in order to qualify for a PGWP.
- Consult with an International Student Advisor before you decide to study part time so that you can make an informed decision.