These checks help you plan a study program that can lead to a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) and see whether you need a provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL). They follow IRCC’s PGWP, field-of-study and attestation-letter pages, checked on October 18, 2026. They do not search IRCC’s school (DLI) list or CIP list: those are large tables that IRCC updates, so use the official lists linked below and enter what you find.
Official lists: IRCC DLI list · PGWP-eligible CIP codes · PGWP eligibility rules · PGWP documents
Do you need a PAL/TAL?
Search the official lists
1. Find the school
Open IRCC’s list of designated learning institutions. Search by school name or city, then note the DLI number: you enter it on your study permit application. Primary and secondary schools are DLIs but are not on this list.
2. Check the programs
On the same page, open the school’s details to see its PGWP-eligible programs. IRCC states that not all programs offered by a DLI are eligible for a PGWP.
3. Find the CIP code
Ask the school for the exact six-digit CIP code of your program (CIP Canada 2021), then search IRCC’s list of currently eligible codes.
4. Check the date rules
Read IRCC’s field-of-study page to see which date applies: your study permit application or your PGWP application.
PGWP requirements
You must meet all of these. Rules checked on October 18, 2026 (IRCC page last modified June 24, 2026).
- Complete a program of at least 8 months (900 hours in Quebec) at a PGWP-eligible DLI.
- Be a full-time student in every term. Part-time study is allowed in your final term.
- Apply within 180 days of getting confirmation that you completed your program, and hold a valid study permit at some point during those 180 days.
- Have never received a PGWP before.
- Meet the language and field-of-study requirements for your credential (table below).
| Credential | Language (all four abilities) | Field of study |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree (including at a college) | CLB/NCLC 7 | No requirement |
| Other university program (certificate, diploma) | CLB/NCLC 7 | Required if the study permit application was submitted on or after November 1, 2024 |
| College, polytechnic or other non-university program that does not lead to a degree | CLB/NCLC 5 | Required if the study permit application was submitted on or after November 1, 2024 |
| PGWP-eligible flight school | No requirement | No requirement |
Applicants who submitted the PGWP application before November 1, 2024 do not need to meet the language requirement or the field-of-study requirement.
The field-of-study list (CIP codes)
The field-of-study requirement applies to graduates of non-degree programs whose study permit application was submitted on or after November 1, 2024. The program’s six-digit CIP code must be on IRCC’s list of eligible codes on the day you submit your study permit application or on the day you submit your PGWP application. Eligible fields are linked to occupations in long-term shortage and can change with labour market needs.
- 2026: IRCC states, “For 2026, we won’t add or remove any eligible fields of study.”
- If your code is not on the current list when you apply for the PGWP, it may still be eligible based on when you submitted your study permit application.
- IRCC groups the list by field of study category, for example science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), healthcare and social services, education, agriculture and agri-food, and trades. Do not rely on a category name: the six-digit code decides.
- Upload proof that you graduated in an eligible field in the “Client information” section of your PGWP application.
Attestation letters (PAL/TAL) and the 2026 cap
A PAL/TAL is usually required to apply for a study permit. It comes from the province or territory where you plan to study and is provided by your DLI. Submit it with your application, not after.
| No PAL/TAL needed |
|---|
| Preschool, primary (including kindergarten) and secondary study up to grade 12 |
| Degree-granting master’s or doctoral programs at a public DLI, from January 1, 2026 (not private DLIs) |
| Francophone Minority Communities Student Pilot, with a letter of acceptance that identifies you as an applicant to that pilot |
| Federally designated military colleges |
| Quebec vocational programs (DVS, AVS or STC) |
| Exchange students who pay no tuition to the Canadian school |
| Global Affairs Canada scholarship recipients |
| Public-policy groups (crisis responses; Indigenous families separated by the border) |
| Already in Canada and extending at the same DLI and level, under a removal order that cannot be enforced now, holding a temporary resident permit valid for at least 6 months, a protected person, or a PR applicant on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, under a current public policy, or in the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class |
You need a new PAL/TAL when your current one has expired, when a previous application was approved or refused, when you change schools (required since January 22, 2025), when you change level of study, when you extend at a different DLI or level, and when you restore student status. The exception is moving from post-secondary study to a degree-granting graduate program at a public DLI. You can reuse a valid letter only if the earlier application was withdrawn before a decision, or was not accepted for processing and your fee was refunded.
2026 validity
A 2026 cap-year PAL/TAL must be issued between January 1 and December 31, 2026 and is valid until December 31, 2026 unless it shows an earlier date. A letter from an earlier cap year cannot be used.
2026 cap
IRCC plans up to 408,000 study permits in 2026: 155,000 for new arrivals and 253,000 for extensions. For PAL/TAL-required applicants, 309,670 applications will be accepted for processing, expected to lead to 180,000 permits. IRCC divides the 309,670 spaces among provinces and territories (for example Ontario 104,780, Quebec 93,069, British Columbia 32,596 and Alberta 32,271), and each province decides how its spaces are shared among schools.
2027
IRCC’s 2026 cap notice gives no 2027 cap or provincial allocations, and we did not find them on IRCC’s website on October 18, 2026. Check the IRCC notices page before you plan a 2027 application.
Quebec
Quebec students need a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ). It must be valid when you apply and include the line about Quebec’s share of study permit applications or your exemption from it.
Online and distance study
For a study permit application lock-in date on or after September 1, 2024, at least 50% of the program must be completed in class in Canada, and time studied outside Canada is deducted from the length of the PGWP. Online study from outside Canada after August 31, 2024 does not count. IRCC explains older rules for lock-in dates between September 1, 2022 and August 31, 2024 on its eligibility page.
Public-private partnership programs
Most programs that a private college delivers under a public college’s licence (curriculum licensing) are not PGWP-eligible. IRCC makes an exception only for programs in the same province that began on or before May 15, 2024, and for programs between provinces that began on or before January 31, 2023.
How long a PGWP lasts
- Program of 8 months to under 2 years: a PGWP up to the length of the program. A 9-month program can lead to a PGWP of up to 9 months.
- Program of 2 years or more: up to 3 years.
- Master’s degree of at least 8 months (900 hours in Quebec): up to 3 years, even if shorter than 2 years. This does not apply to certificates or diplomas.
- You can combine two programs if you are eligible for a PGWP for each and each lasted at least 8 months. If one has a higher language requirement, you must meet it.
- The PGWP cannot run past your passport’s expiry date.
Applying, fees and documents
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| PGWP fee | $255 (the work permit fee plus the open work permit holder fee) |
| Biometrics, if required | $85 per person (see the biometrics checker) |
| Deadline | Within 180 days of confirmation that you completed the program. If your study permit has expired, you have up to 90 days after it expired to apply and restore your student status, which costs an extra fee. |
| Language proof | CELPIP-General, IELTS General Training or PTE Core (English); TEF Canada or TCF Canada (French). Taken in person, result less than 2 years old when you apply. |
| Other documents | Proof of completion (degree, diploma or certificate, official letter or transcript); transcript showing full-time study; proof of an eligible field of study if required; an upfront medical exam if the job requires it. |
What these checks cannot do
- They do not search IRCC’s school or CIP lists, and typed text is not verified.
- They do not tell you whether a study permit or a PGWP will be approved. An officer decides on your documents.
- Rules and lists change. Check the dates on IRCC’s pages before you pay a deposit or tuition.
Frequently asked questions
My school is on the DLI list. Am I sure to get a PGWP?
No. IRCC says not all programs offered by a DLI are eligible for a PGWP. The exact program, your credential, your language results and the other requirements all matter.
Does a bachelor’s or master’s graduate need an eligible CIP code?
No. Bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral graduates do not need to meet the field-of-study requirement. They still need CLB/NCLC 7 in all four language abilities.
Do master’s students still need a PAL/TAL?
Not for a degree-granting master’s or doctoral program at a public DLI, from January 1, 2026. Programs at private DLIs are not covered by that exemption.
Can I change schools and keep studying?
In most cases you must apply to extend your study permit before you start at the new school, and a new PAL/TAL is generally required (a requirement since January 22, 2025). IRCC lists the few cases where you may start while the extension is pending. Read IRCC’s change-schools page first.
Official sources
- IRCC: Designated learning institutions list
- IRCC: Eligibility for a post-graduation work permit
- IRCC: PGWP field-of-study requirement
- IRCC: Currently eligible CIP codes
- IRCC: Documents for a PGWP
- IRCC: About the PGWP (length and multiple programs)
- IRCC: Apply for a PGWP
- IRCC: Provincial attestation letter (PAL/TAL)
- IRCC: Change schools
- IRCC: 2026 provincial and territorial allocations under the international student cap