Provincial Attestation Letters (PAL)
What you need to know to become an international student at SMU.
On January 22, 2024, the Government of Canada proposed changes to the study permit application process for new international students. Most new international students will require a Letter of Attestation from the province or territory in which their Designated Learning Institution (DLI) is located to apply for a study permit.
There are some international students that may be exempt from the new measures. To see if you are exempt, please visit the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website.
For undergraduate admissions questions, please contact international@smu.ca.
The Nova Scotia Government provides a document that outlines the process for receiving provincial attestation letters.
Download the guide The Nova Scotia Government provides a document that outlines the process for receiving provincial attestation letters.
Download the guideFrequently asked questions (FAQ)
In addition to your letter of acceptance (LOA) from a Canadian Designated Learning Institution (DLI), such as Saint Mary’s University, you will need a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) to apply for a Canadian study permit.
Most graduate (master’s) level students are exempt from the new IRCC requirements. Some programs, such as the Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Applied Economics (PBCAE) and Graduate Diploma in Personnel Psychology will require students to obtain a PAL.
If you are a current student studying online outside of Canada, you will need to have the following documents to apply for the Study Permit:
- Acceptance Letter to Saint Mary’s University
- Confirmation of Enrolment
- A written explanation as to why you have been studying online
- Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)
- Students must be in good financial and academic standing with the university
Part of obtaining the PAL requires a signed PAL consent form and a $3,000 CAD non-refundable admission deposit.
Please email international@smu.ca to obtain more information on obtaining the PAL consent form.
You will need to move quickly as our Admissions team likely has you in the queue to request a PAL from the provincial government. Please log into your application portal and click on “Request a Deferral”. It’s very important that you then email admission.status@smu.ca with your full name, as it appears on your application, and your student ID number (A#). Our Admissions team will do their best to remove you from the PAL queue, process your deferral and transfer your deposit, and request a new PAL for your new intended start date.
As you have not yet received a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL), you can log into your admission portal (smu.ca/apply) and request a deferral. When logged into your admission portal, click on “Request a Deferral” and select your new start date. Once our Admissions team receives this request, we will issue a new letter of acceptance. Please note that this process can take 2-3 weeks. Please also note that you can defer your admission for up to one year.
Our Admissions team can reach out to the provincial government to modify the existing PAL to edit the start date of your program. Please note that the expiry date on the PAL already issued to you will not change. It is therefore important that you apply for your study permit (www.ircc.canada.ca) before your PAL expires.
To request a deferral, please log into your admission portal, click on “Request a Deferral” and select your new start date. Once our Admissions team receives this request, we will issue a new letter of acceptance. Please communicate ASAP to admission.status@smu.ca once you have requested the deferral and you will receive a new letter of acceptance, which will allow you to apply for your study permit.
If you are presently in Canada, you do not need a PAL to renew your study permit. Please make an appointment with our International Student Centre (international.centre@smu.ca) to discuss the process of renewing your study permit.
If you are not in Canada and are renewing your study permit, you may require a PAL. If you are able, we recommend renewing your study permit before leaving Canada.
Who doesn’t need to provide a PAL?
Some common groups of students who do not require a PAL include:
- Students who already have a valid study permit
- Students who are currently studying in Canada and have a valid study permit
- Students applying to a graduate or master's degree program
To see a full list of students who do not require a PAL please refer to IRCC PAL information
If you have already started an application, please log in to the application portal. The form is titled “SMU PAL Questions & Consent” and can be found under the required “supplemental items and documents” section.
The $3,000 CAD admission deposit is non-refundable, even if the study permit is not approved. The PAL consent form outlines the terms of the admission deposit. Your admission confirmation deposit is valid for one year from your intended start date. This means you can defer your admission for up to one year.
Paying the $3,000 CAD in addition to the completed consent form (SMU PAL Questions & Consent) ensures that Saint Mary’s University will request the PAL on your behalf. However, the provincial government then determines whether or not a student will be issued the PAL. The issuance of your Canadian study permit is up to the discretion of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and obtaining a PAL does not guarantee that your study permit will be granted.
Once you accept your offer and we receive your admission deposit payment, we will automatically request the PAL on your behalf. The time from us receiving the payment to releasing the PAL can take up to two weeks.
You will receive an email regarding a status update to your application. When you login to the application portal, you will find a letter that outlines the instructions on how to download your PAL.
Yes, your provincial attestation letter (PAL) will expire 10 weeks after it is issued. Your letter of acceptance (LOA) from Saint Mary’s will have a 5-week expiration from its date of issue. You will therefore have 5 weeks from receiving your LOA to confirm your offer and pay your admission deposit to SMU. Once you pay your admission deposit and receive your PAL, you will have 10 weeks to apply for your Canadian study permit.
No, international students already studying in Canada are exempt from the new IRCC requirements for a PAL. However, you will still require a study permit.
If you are a current student studying online outside of Canada, you will need to have the following documents to apply for the Study Permit:
- Acceptance Letter to Saint Mary’s University
- Confirmation of Enrolment
- Written explanation as to why you have been studying online
- Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)
- Students must be in good financial and academic standing with the university
Part of obtaining the PAL requires a signed PAL consent form and a $3,000 non-refundable admission deposit.
Please email international@smu.ca to obtain more information on obtaining the PAL consent form.
Some common groups of students who do not require a PAL include:
- Students who already have a valid study permit
- Students who are currently studying in Canada and have a valid study permit
- Students applying to a graduate or master's degree program
To see a full list of students who do not require a PAL please refer to IRCC PAL information
The PGWP program for undergraduate programs has not changed. However, international students enrolled in master’s programs of two years or less will now be eligible for a PGWP of up to three years.
For questions related to your study permit application, please contact Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
For questions regarding your application status, contact admission.status@smu.ca.
For questions regarding the PAL process, please contact international@smu.ca.
You may also join one of our upcoming webinars for international students.