Study in Canada

Build your education plan with your future in mind.

Education Planning, Admissions & Canadian Immigration Guidance

NK International Consultants assists international students and their families with Canadian education planning, school and post-secondary selection, admissions coordination, study-permit strategy and longer-term immigration planning.

Start Your Assessment Discuss Your Study Plan WhatsApp NKIC

FREE 2026 PROGRAM GUIDE

Planning to Study in Canada?

Download NK International Consultants’ practical guide to Canadian schools, admissions, study permits, student work options and post-graduation planning.

GET THE 2026 PROGRAM GUIDE

Complete the short form to receive immediate access.

Education Planning

More than simply choosing a school.

A Canadian study plan should take into account the student's academic background, career objectives, language ability, financial capacity, immigration circumstances and possible plans after graduation.

1

Secondary Education

Guidance for international students considering Canadian public, private or boarding-school opportunities and preparation for post-secondary education.

2

Colleges & Universities

Program and institution selection based on academic objectives, admission requirements, location, career planning and immigration considerations.

3

Graduate Studies

Planning for postgraduate, master's and doctoral studies, including study-permit requirements and accompanying-family considerations.

4

Study Permits

Professional immigration guidance concerning study-permit applications, supporting evidence, financial capacity, purpose of study and relevant applicant circumstances.

5

Family Planning

Review of immigration options for accompanying spouses, partners and children based on the principal student's program and current Canadian requirements.

6

After Graduation

Early consideration of PGWP eligibility, Canadian employment and potential permanent-residence pathways so that program selection is not made in isolation.

Before You Apply

Important factors to review before paying tuition.

Institution & Program

  • Confirm that the institution is a Designated Learning Institution where a study permit is required.
  • If post-graduation employment is important, verify that the specific program is PGWP eligible. DLI status alone does not mean every program qualifies.
  • Review program length, credential level, career relevance and the student's previous education and employment.
  • Review any applicable PGWP field-of-study requirement before committing to the program.
  • Obtain the required Letter of Acceptance and other applicable admission documents.

Immigration Strategy

  • Determine whether a Provincial Attestation Letter or Territorial Attestation Letter is required or whether the applicant qualifies for an exemption.
  • For Quebec studies, review the applicable Quebec requirements, including the CAQ process where required.
  • Demonstrate sufficient financial resources for tuition, living expenses, transportation and accompanying family members.
  • Present a credible and properly documented purpose of study.
  • Consider accompanying-family and post-graduation options separately rather than assuming automatic eligibility.
Important: Admission to a Canadian educational institution does not itself guarantee issuance of a study permit, a post-graduation work permit, a work permit for a spouse or permanent residence. Each benefit has its own eligibility requirements.
PAL / TAL Requirements

Attestation requirements depend on the student and program.

Many study-permit applicants require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) or Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL), but exemptions apply to certain applicants.

Master's & Doctoral Students

Starting January 1, 2026, students entering degree-granting master's or doctoral programs at public institutions are exempt from the PAL/TAL requirement for their study-permit application.

Other immigration and provincial requirements continue to apply.

Other Students

Many other post-secondary study-permit applicants continue to require a PAL or TAL unless they fall within another applicable exemption. The requirement should be checked before the study-permit application is submitted.

Students planning to study in Quebec must also review Quebec's separate provincial requirements.

Financial Capacity

Students must demonstrate that their studies are financially viable.

IRCC requires applicants to demonstrate sufficient funds without relying on employment in Canada to pay tuition, living expenses and transportation costs for themselves and accompanying family members.

Tuition

The applicant should demonstrate the ability to meet the applicable tuition costs and provide appropriate evidence concerning tuition payments and available funds.

Living Expenses

For applications submitted on or after September 1, 2026, a single student studying outside Quebec must demonstrate at least CAD $23,448 for one year of living expenses, in addition to tuition and transportation costs.

Full Study Plan

For a program lasting longer than one year, applicants must show sufficient resources for the first year and explain how they intend to finance the remainder of their studies.

Family size matters: The required living-expense amount increases when a spouse, partner or children accompany the student. Quebec applies separate financial requirements.
Post-Graduation Work Permit

PGWP eligibility should be checked before choosing a program.

Graduating from a Canadian school does not automatically qualify a student for a post-graduation work permit. The institution, specific program, program length, study history, language ability and, where applicable, field of study can all affect eligibility.

Eligible DLI & Program

The student must complete an eligible program at a PGWP-eligible Designated Learning Institution and satisfy the other applicable requirements.

Language Requirement

Current PGWP rules include minimum English or French language requirements. The required level depends on the type of credential completed.

Field of Study

For certain non-degree programs, students whose study-permit application was submitted on or after November 1, 2024 must graduate from an eligible field of study.

Degree Programs

Bachelor's, master's and doctoral degree graduates are not subject to the PGWP field-of-study requirement, although other PGWP requirements continue to apply.

Accompanying Family

A student's spouse does not automatically receive a work permit.

Family members submit their own temporary-residence applications and must independently meet the requirements applicable to the status or permit they request.

Spouse or Common-Law Partner

Current rules restrict spousal open work permits to spouses or common-law partners of certain international students, including students in qualifying master's programs of at least 16 months, doctoral programs and specified professional or other eligible programs.

A spouse who does not qualify for this open-work-permit category may still have another immigration option depending on their individual circumstances.

Dependent Children

Children accompanying an international student may require visitor or study authorization depending on their age, circumstances and intended activities in Canada.

The family's immigration strategy should therefore be reviewed at the same time as the principal student's study-permit application.

Study → Work → Immigration

Plan the full journey before making the investment.

For students whose longer-term objective may include Canadian employment or permanent residence, educational selection should take future eligibility into account without assuming that study will automatically lead to work authorization or permanent residence.

Study

Select an appropriate institution and program consistent with the student's background, career plans and immigration objectives.

Graduate

Complete the program while maintaining the conditions of student status and preparing for the next stage.

Work

Determine whether the graduate qualifies for a PGWP or another form of Canadian work authorization under the rules then in force.

Permanent Residence

Assess Express Entry, provincial and community-based immigration opportunities based on the graduate's profile and eligibility at that time.

Our Process

Education and immigration planning in one strategy.

1. Student Profile

Review education, language ability, employment history, finances, family circumstances and long-term objectives.

2. Program Selection

Identify appropriate Canadian institutions and programs while considering admissions, career and immigration implications.

3. Admission & Permit

Coordinate the education process and, where retained, prepare the applicable Canadian study-permit strategy and application.

4. Future Planning

Reassess work-permit and permanent-residence options as the student's education and Canadian circumstances develop.

Why NKIC

Education planning with regulated immigration guidance.

Education Support

We help identify suitable Canadian education options and coordinate the student's admission strategy based on academic and professional objectives.

Immigration Strategy

We consider study-permit requirements, family circumstances, PGWP eligibility and longer-term immigration objectives as separate but connected parts of the student's plan.

Regulated Representation

Canadian immigration advice and representation are provided within the authorized professional scope of a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant.

Interested in studying in Canada?

Complete the NKIC Online Intake Questionnaire so we can review your education, language ability, employment history, finances, family circumstances and immigration objectives before recommending the appropriate next step.

Complete Online Intake Book a Consultation WhatsApp +41 76 818 00 66

Canadian education and immigration requirements can change. Admission does not guarantee a study permit. Graduation does not guarantee a PGWP, employment or permanent residence. PGWP eligibility, family work permits, study-permit requirements and future immigration options must be assessed under the rules applicable to the individual student and program at the relevant time.

Global Education Opportunities

NK International Consultants offers education guidance and admissions support for students seeking study opportunities in Canada, the United States, Europe and other international destinations. Through our Global University Systems relationships and wider education network, we help students identify suitable institutions and programs while coordinating their education plans with relevant immigration considerations.

Current Education Partners

NKIC currently holds signed institutional agreements with:

University Canada West

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Trebas Institute

Canada

Avila University Arizona

Arizona, United States

Institutional Agreements in Progress

The following relationships are currently at the contract-signing or institutional-review stage and are not yet presented as confirmed partners:

University of Europe for Applied Sciences

Contract signing in progress

Berlin School of Business and Innovation (BSBI)

Institutional review in progress

GUS France

Institutional review in progress

George Brown Polytechnic

Institutional review in progress

Institutional relationships and program availability may change. Institutions shown as in progress are not yet confirmed education partners. Admission decisions remain solely with the institution, and immigration decisions remain solely with the responsible government authority.