Last updated: July 2025
According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), a provincial attestation letter (PAL) or a territorial attestation letter (TAL) is a letter provided by the province or territory where you plan to study. It confirms that you’ ve been assigned one of the available spaces to study in that province or territory. Most study permit applicants need to provide a PAL or TAL when they apply, unless they meet one of the exceptions.
PROVINCIAL ATTESTATION LETTER (PAL) OVERVIEW
Do I need to submit a PAL with my Study Permit Application?
Unless you meet one of the exceptions, you must submit a PAL with your application.
While waiting for your documents from CUE, you can start to prepare your study permit application, and gather other required documents.
Exceptions:
You don’t need a PAL when applying for a study permit if you’ve entered Canada and one of the following situations applies to you:
- You’re applying for a study permit extension at the same DLI and level of study as your current study permit.
- You’re under a removal order, but can’t be removed from Canada at this time.
- You have a temporary resident permit valid for at least 6 months.
- You’re a protected person.
- You’re eligible for permanent residence
- based on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, or
- based on a current public policy, or
- as a spouse or common-law partner (through the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class)
You need to provide proof that you meet one of the above exceptions if you don’t provide a PAL with your study permit application. To see the full list of exceptions visit the IRCC website.
When does CUE issue my PAL?
Students who have received an offer of admission will be required to first pay a $2500.00CAD non-refundable and non-transferable registration deposit. After payment has been received and processed, the Office of Admissions will issue an IRCC Letter of Acceptance and PAL to the email on your file within 10 business days (in most cases) after receipt of the registration deposit payment.
Will I be approved for a study if I receive a PAL?
A PAL does not guarantee your study permit application will be approved. Applications must meet all requirements set by IRCC.
My information on the PAL is incorrect, can I request corrections on the PAL?
Please make sure you have checked that the information on your application and student file with CUE is correct before paying your tuition deposit to avoid errors on the PAL.
The address on your PAL may be different from the residential and/or mailing address in your study permit application. Having a different address on your PAL will not cause issues with your study permit processing, a new PAL is not needed if you have changed addresses.
How long is the PAL valid?
Unless it has an expiry date on it, it’s valid
- until January 21, 2025, for the 2024 study permit cap year
- This means that your PAL was issued between January 22, 2024, and January 21, 2025.
- This means that your PAL was issued between January 22, 2024, and January 21, 2025.
- until December 31, 2025, for the 2025 study permit cap year
- This means that your PAL was issued between January 22, 2025, and December 31, 2025.
Your PAL needs to be valid when you apply. You can’t use a PAL that was issued during a previous study permit cap year.
Can I request a new PAL if my Study Permit Application is refused?
When to get a new PAL
You must get a new PAL before you reapply if,
- your PAL has expired or is no longer valid, or
- your previous study permit application was approved or refused, or
- you’re changing schools, or
- you’re changing your level of study
- This means you’re moving from
- the post-secondary level to the graduate level, or
- the graduate level to the post-secondary level
- This means you’re moving from
If you require a new PAL based on one of the reasons listed above, contact the Office of Admissions and explain the reason you need a new PAL. If you receive a letter of refusal from IRCC and plan to reapply for a study permit, attach your letter of refusal to your email.
You can reapply with the same PAL if,
- your PAL is still valid, and
- your study permit application was accepted for processing and you voluntarily withdrew your application before a final decision was made, or
- your study permit application was not accepted for processing
- This means that your fee was refunded and you were told that your application was not processed.
For immigration guidance on PAL requests please contact the International Office
NEW STUDENTS
Can I use a PAL issued from another Alberta institution, but my acceptance letter is from CUE?
No, you must use the PAL and acceptance letter from CUE for your study permit application.
I have received a new acceptance letter for a new semester at CUE, can I use the same PAL?
You can use the same PAL only if it is still valid. The PAL is valid until December 31, 2025, for the 2025 study permit cap year. If your PAL is no longer valid, please contact the Office of Admissions to request a new PAL.
Does the PAL need to be valid for travel and entry purposes to Canada?
Having a valid PAL for travel and entry purposes is not required, however we recommend students to carry important documents with them when travelling to Canada. For more information on travelling to Canada please contact the International Office.
I completed high school in Canada and will be attending CUE, do I need a PAL?
Yes, you will need a PAL to get a new study permit by applying to extend your current permit to attend a post-secondary school. You can continue your studies at the post-secondary level while waiting for a decision on your new study permit application. If your study permit application is refused, you must stop studying immediately.
Important information: If you finish your secondary school studies early, your study permit will no longer be valid 90 days after you complete your studies, regardless of the date that is shown on your study permit.
For more information and guidance please contact the International Office.
I am a student from another Canadian institution and will be taking courses at CUE, do I need a PAL?
Visiting students are different from exchange students. Visiting students take courses at CUE for a short period of time, pay tuition and fees to CUE, and will request credits to be transferred back to their primary institution. Visiting students will need to apply for a study permit with CUE indicated on it to attend courses at CUE and must submit a PAL. For more information and guidance please contact the International Office.
I will be attending CUE as an exchange student, do I need a PAL?
Exchange students under an exchange arrangement between their home institution and CUE who will study for one or two semesters do not require a PAL to apply for a study permit.
Students studying less than 6 months (one semester) are eligible to enter Canada as visitors, and are required to apply and obtain either an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or a Temporary Residence Visa (TRV). Exchange students who are studying for less than 6 months do not require a study permit.
Students studying more than 6 months (two semesters) are required to apply for a study permit. Students who have applied and been approved by IRCC for a study permit will also be granted either an eTA or a TRV.
CURRENT STUDENTS
I am a current CUE student and need to apply for a study permit extension. Do I need a PAL?
A PAL is not required for students applying for a study permit extension at the same designated learning institution (DLI) and level of study as their current study permit, see Who doesn’t need a PAL. Students who meet these criteria should indicate on their application that they are exempt from the PAL, include a letter as part of your extension application to confirm that you are exempt from the PAL requirement. For further guidance please contact the International Office.
I am a CUE student and changing my level of study. Do I need a PAL?
Yes, if you are a current CUE student and will be changing your level of study as their current study permit (e.g. you are changing from an undergraduate to graduate level program), you can keep studying with your current study permit as long as you still meet your study permit conditions. However, if you need to extend your study permit, you may need to submit a new provincial attestation letter (PAL) with your application.
Level of Study is categorized by IRCC as follows:
a. primary and secondary education,
b. post-secondary education (including vocational and technical training, and undergraduate programs), and
c. graduate education or above.
For further guidance please contact the International Office.
I am changing to another DLI within Canada. Do I need a PAL?
Yes, you will need to request a PAL from your new DLI. Additionally, starting November 8, 2024, you must be enrolled in the DLI named on your study permit. To change DLIs, you need to get a new study permit by applying to extend your current one.
I am a current student of CUE and currently outside of Canada and my study permit has expired. Do I need a PAL to apply for a new study permit?
Yes, a PAL is required to apply for a new study permit from outside of Canada. You will need to first contact the International Office for guidance.
I am a CUE student, and lost my student status, I am now applying to restore my student status. Do I need a PAL?
Yes, a PAL is required to submit an application for study permit restoration. You will need to first contact the International Office for guidance.
Visit the Government of Canada website for the most up-to-date information on the PAL.