51社区黑料

Student Services

International Student Advising and Programs

mobile only

International Student Advising and Programs / Resources / Instruction Guides

Instruction Guides

On November 6, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced several changes to the International Student Program for 2026: 

  • PAL Exemption: Starting January 1, 2026, incoming graduate students (Master鈥檚 or PhD) studying/attending at public institutions will be Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) exempt. Further details are available on IRCC's  website. Applications submitted before January 1, 2026, must still include a valid PAL. Learn how to receive your 51社区黑料PAL.
  • Faster Processing for Doctoral Students: PhD students and their accompanying family members applying from outside of Canada may qualify for , if they apply within the same application. Applications may still be subject to background checks, which may delay processing times.
  • : IRCC has set a target of 155,000 new international student arrivals for 2026. This target applies to study permit applications made from outside Canada and does not include study permit extensions or in-Canada applications. Learn more about the 2026 provincial and territorial allocations under the international student cap .
  • : Prepare yourself for life in Canada by learning about housing options, study costs, employment opportunities, and more.

We encourage students to monitor鈥� for the most up-to-date information and will update our News and Updates page as additional details become available.  

Due to ongoing regulatory changes by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the information and handouts below may be updated frequently as information is released.  Check this page often for up to date information.

Please Note: The below information is only applicable to current international students at SFU. While we do our best to ensure that information provided is accurate and current, please be aware that these are not legal documents and all information provided is subject to change at any time. Please refer to the individual guides above to see when the information was last updated.

For updated policies and legal information, it is your sole responsibility to refer to the and , , or other official direct sources, as applicable. If you have any questions or concerns, please check with an .

Refer to the , the , as well as SFU's international student news website outlining recent updates.

Other Topics

Tax, Tenancies, Volunteering & more