Canada Tightens Immigration Routes for Students and Families

IRCC Facing Ongoing Pressures

A number of high-demand immigration pathways affecting international students and families hoping to sponsor parents and grandparents are to be made more difficult over the coming months.

The measures come as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) faces ongoing pressure to balance demand for migration routes with housing capacity, public services and processing times.

Student Applicants Face Tighter Rules

For international students, including applicants from African countries such as Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya, Canada has introduced stricter study permit rules for 2026.

The changes include a national cap of 309,670 study permit applications, placing provinces and designated learning institutions under allocation limits.

Undergraduate and college applicants are also now expected to submit a Provincial Attestation Letter or Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) with their study permit application. The document confirms that the applicant falls within the quota assigned to the province or territory where their chosen institution is located. Applications submitted without the required attestation will be rejected.

Master’s and doctoral applicants are exempt from the PAL or TAL requirement due to Canada’s government policies on attracting highly skilled researchers and postgraduate talent to the country.

Financial proof requirements have also been revised for all students, meaning applicants must adequately demonstrate that they can cover tuition, travel, living costs and other expenses while living in Canada.

As a result of the changes, prospective students are encouraged to apply early and ensure they submit sufficient paperwork to support their application.

Parent and Grandparent Sponsorship Intake Paused

Canada has also paused the intake of new applications under the Parents and Grandparents Program, closing off a permanent residence route used by Canadian citizens and permanent residents seeking to reunite with older family members.

Immigration officials say the pause is intended to help manage a programme where demand continues to exceed the number of available places. Existing applications will continue to be processed, with the government aiming to approve up to 15,000 people for permanent residence through the programme in 2026.

The programme has been under pressure since a 2020 intake drew more than 200,000 expressions of interest. Those already in the system face significant processing times, with expected waits of around 33 months outside Quebec and even longer waits for those hoping to live in Quebec.

For families now unable to use the sponsorship route, the Super Visa could offer an alternative. It allows eligible parents and grandparents to visit children or grandchildren in Canada for extended periods, with multiple entries over a validity period of up to 10 years.

IRCC Confirms 1.5m Applications Processing

The latest figures from IRCC show 1,517,770 applications were awaiting processing on 31 May 2026 as demand for permanent residence, temporary residence and Canadian citizenship applications remains high.

Permanent residence accounted for 705,315 applications, economic immigration applications stood at 238,335, while family sponsorship applications totalled 159,765.

IRCC confirmed it processed a total of 1,648,965 applications between 1 January and 31 May 2026, including 198,700 permanent residence applications.

How Can IAS Help With Your Canadian Immigration Application?

With the ongoing changes, it is even more important that applicants submit a comprehensive and strong application.

At IAS we can help prospective students to apply early and ensure their financial documentation is accurate and complete.  

For Canadian residents hoping to sponsor parents or grandparents, the pause creates uncertainty about when the programme will reopen. Our team can support families in finding alternative including temporary visit options such as the super visa.

Do not hesitate to reach out for help on your situation today. Call us on +1 844 312 4979 or reach out to us online.