Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)

A two-year cap was placed on the number of new study permits that will be issued by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and most study permit applications submitted to IRCC will require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) from a province or territory. 

Note:

  • This cap does not apply to students who are currently in Canada and will be applying to extend their study permits. 
  • The cap will not apply to degree-seeking students in Master's and PhD programs

Common Questions about the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)

Who does the PAL requirement apply to?

As of January 22, 2024, the PAL requirement applies to the below-listed students applying for a Study Permit outside Canada:

  • Undergraduate students (Bachelors and After-degree programs)
  • ESL students
  • Students admitted to any other study program that is longer than six months in length AND does not lead to a Masters or a PhD degree (for example, Campus Saint-Jean programs)

Note: Students who submitted their SP application prior to 8:30 a.m. on January 22, 2024, will not be impacted. 

Detailed information can be found here.
Who doesn’t need a PAL?

Foreign nationals that meet the following criteria do not need a PAL:

  • Master’s or doctoral degree students
  • Primary and secondary school students
  • Received a scholarship from Global Affairs Canada
  • Exempted from study permit requirements based on a public policy as part of a migration response to a crisis.
  • Students whose applications were received by IRCC before 8:30 a.m. ET on January 22, 2024
  • Foreign nationals who are inside Canada and one of the following situations applies to them:
    • Applying for a study permit extension or to restore status;
    • Have a work permit that was not issued through International Experience Canada;
    • Visiting or exchange students at a designated learning institution (DLI);
    • Under a removal order, but cannot be removed from Canada at the time of application;
    • Have a valid 6-month or longer temporary resident permit;
    • Protected person
    • Eligible for permanent residence based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, current public policy, or as a spouse or common-law partner; and
    • The family member of a foreign national listed here
Detailed information can be found here.
Does the PAL requirement apply to students who are currently in Canada and want to apply for extension?

No, the attestation letter process does not apply to study permit extension applications. 

When and how should I receive my PAL?
Once you've accepted your offer and paid the tuition deposit, the U of A will request your PAL from the Province of Alberta. Once your PAL is available, the university will send an email to the email address you used on your admission application to let you know that your PAL is available for you to download. Please refer to the information posted on the IRCC website here.
How can I access my PAL?

Until April 30, 2024, your PAL will be uploaded to your UAlberta Launchpad portal. You will receive an email stating that your PAL is ready for download.

As of May 1, 2024, your PAL will be sent via MyCreds account. You will receive an email from MyCreds (noreply@mycreds.ca) and will need to follow the instructions in this email to download your PAL. Keep an eye on your email; there is a possibility that this email notification may get directed to the Spam/Junk folder in your email inbox. For details, please visit this page. Click here to learn how to download your PAL from your MyCreds account.

Am I guaranteed a Study Permit if I receive a PAL?
Receiving a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) does not guarantee a study permit approval. Study Permit applicants are required to meet all the requirements in order for a study permit to be issued.
If I am currently an undergraduate student in Canada who is going to complete undergraduate studies this year, would the PAL requirement apply for me if I apply to a graduate school in Canada?
No, the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) requirement does not apply to students applying to extend their study permits from inside Canada. Furthermore, it does not apply to student groups listed in the response to question 2 above.
I am an undergraduate student admitted for Fall 2024 and I submitted my Study Permit application on January 22, 2024 without the PAL, what do I do? I am not in Canada yet.

If your study permit application was submitted to IRCC before 8:30 am ET on January 22, 2024 , your application will not be impacted. 

If your study permit application was submitted to IRCC after 8:30 am ET on January    22, 2024 , your application will be returned to you.

I'm a newly accepted undergraduate student for fall 2024, when should I apply for my study permit?
If you did not submit your study permit application to IRCC before 8:30 am on January 22, 2024, you must wait to submit your application until you are able to meet the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) requirement. In the meantime, please start gathering other documents required for your study permit application.
How is the PAL different from or interacts with the Letter of Acceptance (LOA) verification process

The PAL process and the LOA Verification process are two different processes. 

  • The Provincial government is responsible for administering the PAL process. If you are not exempt from the PAL requirement, this process must be completed before you submit your Study Permit application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). You must submit your PAL to IRCC along with your Letter of Acceptance when applying for a Study Permit. For University of Alberta students, the PAL process is administered by the Province of Alberta; details are here. 
  • Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) administers the LOA Verification process. Students are not required to take additional steps to initiate this process.
My middle name is missing on the PAL that was issued to me, is this OK?

Please note, the Government of Alberta only enters a student’s first name and last name on the PAL, so students who have a middle name may notice that their middle name is not listed on their PAL. If your first name, last name and Date of Birth (as listed on your passport) are listed correctly on the PAL, it would be fine to submit your PAL to IRCC with your study permit application.

In case you notice that your first name, last name or date of birth is entered incorrectly on the PAL, please contact the Student Service Centre to request an updated PAL. When submitting an inquiry via the Student Service Portal, enter “PAL amendment” in the subject line and include a clear description of the issue and a copy of your passport. 

My PAL was issued based on my acceptance to the second program choice (P2) at the University of Alberta, however now I have received acceptance to my first program choice (P1). Does the program name listed on my Offer of Admission and PAL need to match in order to meet IRCC study permit requirements?

It is fine to submit your study permit application to IRCC using your PAL with a different program name and the University of Alberta Offer of Admission as long as the PAL was issued to by a post secondary institution in Alberta and your PAL is still valid. 

I received a PAL from a different institution in Alberta and now I have received an Offer of Admission from the University of Alberta. Will I receive a new PAL from the University of Alberta?

The Government of Alberta (GOA) is issuing one PAL per student so if you have been issued a PAL by the Government of Alberta based on your admission offer to a different Post Secondary Institution (PSI) in Alberta, the University of Alberta cannot request another PAL on your behalf from the Government of Alberta. 

Please submit your University of Alberta Offer of Admission and PAL issued to you based on a different PSI offer of admission when applying for a Study Permit. In addition, please include an explanation letter along with your PAL to address why the PSI name on your Offer of Admission does not match the PSI name listed on your PAL (i.e. GOA only issues one PAL per student in Alberta and once a student receives a PAL from one PSI in Alberta, their PAL cannot be amended to reflect a different PSI name. The Government of Alberta has confirmed with IRCC that students can submit a PAL with a different Alberta (PSI) name with their Study Permit application). 

I am an exchange/visiting student who will be attending the University for one term only (i.e. less than 6 months) and will be applying to enter Canada as a visitor to undertake my studies. Do I need a PAL?

No, a PAL is not required if you will be applying to enter Canada as a visitor to attend a study program that is less than 6 months in duration. 

I am an exchange/visiting student who will be attending the University for one term only (i.e. less than 6 months) and want to apply for a study permit. Do I need a PAL?

Yes, a PAL is required if you are an exchange/visiting student who will be applying for a student irrespective of the length of your study program. 

  • If you are an undergraduate exchange student, contact your Exchange coordinator at the University of Alberta to initiate the PAL request on your behalf. 
  • If you are a graduate exchange/visiting student, contact an International Student Specialist through the student service portal and explain your reason for applying for a study permit. Once your request is assessed, the International Student Specialist will provide you with an update.
I am a continuing undergraduate UofA student, but I am currently outside Canada and my study permit has expired. In order to return back to Canada to continue my studies, I must apply for a study permit outside Canada. Please clarify if I need a PAL?
Yes, a PAL is required when applying for a new study permit outside Canada even if you are a continuing student. To request a PAL, contact the International Student Specialist via the student service portal explaining your situation along with a copy of your most recent study permit. Once we receive your request, an International Student Specialist will follow up with you. 
I applied for a study permit with the PAL that was issued to me when I was admitted to my program at the University of Alberta; however, my study permit application was refused. Can I apply for the study permit again using the same PAL?
Yes, you can use the same PAL to re-apply for a study permit as long as the PAL is still valid (review the expiry date listed on your PAL).
I received my Offer of Admission and associated PAL for this Fall term; however, I have been approved to defer my admission till the following Fall term. Can I apply for the study permit using the same PAL?

You can use the same PAL to apply for your study permit as long as the PAL is still valid (review the expiry date listed on your PAL). If your PAL has expired at the time you plan to submit your study permit application to IRCC, you must contact an International Student Specialist via the student service portal.

Do I need a valid PAL at the time of entry to Canada? Would I be required to show my PAL to a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer at the time of entry to Canada?

No, a valid PAL is not required at the time of entry. A CBSA officer should not require you to provide a valid PAL at the time of entry. 

I meet the eligibility requirements to apply for a study permit at the Port of Entry (POE) and the PAL exemption does not apply to me. Do I need a PAL for the study permit application process at the POE?

Yes, if you are not exempt from the PAL requirement, you must present a valid PAL at the time you apply for a study permit at the Port of Entry. 

Even if you are eligible to apply for a study permit at the Port of Entry, we advise students to apply for study permits online and enter Canada after their online application gets approved to avoid any issues or delays with receiving a study permit at the Port of Entry.

Note: You must provide all required documents to the CBSA officer to issue you a study permit.

Who can I contact if I have further questions about the PAL process or study permit application process?