Immigration Documents
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has changes to the International Student Program starting January 1, 2026, including new rules for Provincial Attestation Letters (PALs).
i Students who will be studying at 911勛圖 as an Exchange or Study Abroad student for one term only may be eligible to travel to Canada as visitors and study without a study permit. If your studies at 911勛圖 will be more than one term, or if you choose to apply for a study permit:
- A PAL is required if you will be studying at 911勛圖 as a Study Abroad student paying tuition fees to 911勛圖.
- A PAL is not required if you will be studying at 911勛圖 as an Exchange student and will not paying tuition fees to 911勛圖.
For full details on PAL requirements and other updates, please review our 2026 PAL Requirement News Post.
One Term Exchange Students
If you will be studying at 911勛圖 for one term, you may travel to Canada as a visitor and study without a study permit. Alternatively, you may apply for a study permit, if you wish to do so. Please see the for more information about how to apply for a study permit.
If there is a possibility that you will extend your exchange at 911勛圖 (for example to 2 or 3 terms), we strongly recommend that you obtain a study permit before coming to Canada. Holding a valid study permit also allows you work on and/or off campus in Canada providing you meet . If you travel to Canada as a visitor, you are not permitted to work in Canada.
If you will be travelling to Canada as a visitor and studying without a study permit
Depending on your country of citizenship(s) you may require either a temporary resident visa (TRV) or an electronic travel authorization (eTA) to travel to Canada. Visit the to see if you need a TRV or eTA to travel to Canada.
The TRV is a which is stamped into your passport. The eTA is an that will be linked to your passport. You may need a TRV or an eTA (not both) to travel to Canada for your exchange.
Once you have determined if you need a TRV or an eTA, please see below for information about how to apply.
Applying for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV)
If you are a , you will need a to travel to Canada and study at 911勛圖 for one term. The TRV may also be referred to as a 'visitor visa'.
In most cases, you are required to submit your TRV application online to IRCC. The provides information about how to apply for a TRV.
A provincial attestation letter (PAL) is not required for a TRV application. Visit our FAQ page (under 'Temporary Resident Visa') for more information as you may be required to include "Proof of PAL Exception in your application".
? TIP: Upload your 911勛圖 Student Exchange Letter under the section of your online document checklist asking for "Letter of Acceptance or Letter of Enrollment / Registration". You may also upload this letter under the section of your application asking for a "Letter of Invitation", if this item appears in your online document checklist.
To review estimated processing times for TRV applications submitted outside Canada, visit the and select where you will be applying from. Visa processing times vary by region and fluctuate. Apply as early as you can to allow extra time for any additional steps that may be required (such as giving your ).
If you have questions about applying for a TRV, please contact an International Student Advisor, Immigration Specialist.
Applying for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)
If you are a , and you are travelling to Canada by air, you can apply for an eTA online. Visit the for application instructions.
A provincial attestation letter (PAL) is not required for an eTA application.
Most eTA applications are approved within minutes, however some applications can take longer. For example, you may need to submit additional documents before your application can be approved. If this happens to you, IRCC will send you an email will with instructions. For more information, visit the .
If you have questions about applying for an eTA, please contact an International Student Advisor, Immigration Specialist.
If you will be applying for a study permit
Applying for a Study Permit
If you are coming to 911勛圖 for a one-term exchange, you can apply for a study permit even if one is not required. If you decide to apply for a study permit, please visit our website and the for more information about how to make a study permit application.
If you apply for a study permit from outside of Canada, and you require either a TRV or eTA to travel to Canada, one will be issued to you automatically by IRCC when your study permit application has been provisionally approved. Visit the for more information.