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International Student Advising and Programs / Resources / Instruction Guides

Instruction Guides

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced changes to the International Student Program starting January 1, 2026, including new rules for Provincial Attestation Letters (PALs).

Graduate students (Master’s or PhD) at public institutions will be exempt from the PAL requirement starting January 1, 2026. In addition, PhD students and their accompanying family members may also qualify for expedited processing, if they apply within the same application. Please note that applications may still be subject to background checks, which could affect processing times.

For full details on PAL requirements and other updates, please review our 2026 PAL Requirement News Post.

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 Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Regulations, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, or other official direct sources, as applicable. If you have any questions or concerns, please check with an International Student Advisor, Immigration Specialist.

Refer to the IRCC website, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program website, as well as SFU's international student news website outlining recent updates.