APPLY FOR A TEMPORARY RESIDENT VISA
On January 24, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced additional groups of students who are now required to have a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) when applying for a study permit. Some highlights of the expanded PAL requirement are:
- These changes will apply to study permit applications that are submitted on or after January 22, 2025. They will apply to both in-Canada study permit extensions and outside Canada study permit applications.
- Master’s and PhD students are required to have a valid PAL.
- Students are exempt from submitting a PAL if they are extending their study permits within Canada at the same designated learning institution and same level of study as their current study permit.
For more information about who will be exempt from a PAL, review IRCC’s website here.
If you need a PAL for your study permit application, please review our FAQ page here on how to obtain a PAL from SFU. We will continue to update our webpages and online resources to reflect the expanded PAL requirements. Thank you for your patience.
Planning a trip outside Canada and the continental US? You will need a valid temporary resident visa (TRV) in addition to your valid study permit to re-enter Canada, unless you are a citizen of a country that is exempt from this requirement.
You can visit the IRCC website to see if you will require a TRV to travel to Canada. If you are exempt from this requirement, please disregard this section.
If you do need a TRV and are planning a trip outside Canada, you should apply for a new TRV from within Canada before you leave. Processing times may be very lengthy at peak holiday times such as summer and Christmas, so allow yourself plenty of time.
Alternatively, you may submit an application for a new TRV to be processed from outside Canada while you are away. Immigration officials reserve the right to interview applicants if necessary. You should also keep in mind that if you are submitting your application outside Canada, there may be additional application requirements (e.g. biometrics). For more information, we recommend reviewing the country-specific visa office instructions for the responsible office where you will be applying on the IRCC website.
To review the current, estimated processing times for TRV applications in Canada and outside of Canada, visit the IRCC website.
Please note: Most travellers entering Canada need either an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or a TRV. Please visit the IRCC website for more information.
