The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced new incentives for international students pursuing advanced degrees, such as Master's and PhD programs, in Canada.
Doctoral (PhD) programme applicants from outside Canada will have the advantage of an expedited study permit application processing, with a 14-day processing timeframe. This fast-track processing is also applicable to the applicant's accompanying family members, provided they apply together with the doctoral applicant. In addition, effective from January 1, 2026, international students pursuing advanced degrees (Master's and PhD programs) at public designated learning institutions (DLIs) will be exempt from the provincial/territorial enrolment cap. They will no longer need to secure a Provincial/Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL). However, Master's and Doctoral students at private institutions are not exempt from the enrolment cap and PAL/TAL requirement.
With the new exemption incentive, Canada could potentially admit 30,000 to 50,000 Master's /Doctoral degree students in addition to the 155,000 study permit cap for 2026, thereby reducing the projected decline in study-permit approvals from -49% to a more moderate -41% to -30%.
These new changes are a strategic shift introduced by IRCC, bringing a structural bias within the study permit system. It favours public universities in increasing admission to advanced degree programs, which in turn strengthens the research and innovation ecosystem in Canada. The expedited processing time and cap exemption will attract high-calibre researchers and innovators, making Canada the leading destination for advanced studies.
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