Frequently Asked Questions about the Provincial Attestation Letter/Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL)
On January 22, 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued several updates to the rules and regulations around provincial attestation letters (PAL)/territorial attestation letters (TAL).
Please visit the IRCC's website for up-to-date information about immigration procedures and documents including PAL/TAL. The information on this page is current at the time of publication and is subject to change.
Last updated on Feb 11, 2025.
IRCC - Study permit: Get the right documentsPAL is short for Provincial Attestation Letter or Territorial Attestation Letter (TAL). Since Saskatchewan is a province, we will continue to use the term PAL throughout the FAQ.
A Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) is an official document that most applicants need to provide to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) when applying for their study permit, unless exempt. The PAL must be submitted with your study permit application, not after. Each PAL/TAL is issued by the province/territory where your university/school is located. Your PAL is not transferable to another university or college in Canada.
Please review the Government of Canada website for the most up-to-date information to determine if you need a PAL or meet one of the exceptions.
Most international students now require a PAL for their student permit application. Exceptions are very limited and depend on your specific situation.
If you are outside of Canada
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PAL required? |
Study permit required? |
Action required |
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New undergraduate students (all more than 6 months programs) |
Yes |
Yes |
Apply for your study permit as soon you receive your Letter of Acceptance (LOA) and PAL |
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New graduate students (all more than 6 months programs) |
Yes |
Yes |
Apply for your study permit as soon you receive your Letter of Acceptance (LOA) and PAL |
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New VRS students more than 6 months |
Yes |
Yes |
Apply for your study permit as soon you receive your Letter of Acceptance (LOA) and PAL |
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New VRS students less than 6 months |
No |
No |
Apply for your eTA or TRV as soon you receive your Letter of Acceptance (LOA) |
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New Exchange one term students (4 months) |
No |
No |
Apply for your eTA or TRV as soon you receive your Letter of Acceptance (LOA) |
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New Exchange full academic year students (8 months) |
No |
Yes |
Apply for your study permit as soon you receive your Letter of Acceptance (LOA) |
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Current and returning international students whose study permit expired while abroad |
Yes |
Yes |
Apply for a new study permit with your Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) letter and PAL. Contact ISSAC for more assistance. |
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If you are inside Canada
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PAL required? |
Common scenarios |
Action required |
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Current USask student applying to extend a study permit to continue to study at the same level of study at USask |
No |
A) undergraduate to undergraduate program B) undergraduate program to undergraduate certificate/diploma program or vice versa C) master’s to master’s program D) master’s to doctoral program E) master’s/doctoral program to post-graduate diploma/graduate certificate and vice versa
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Apply for your study permit extension before the current one expires. Must use the most up to date Confirmation of Enrolment (COE) letter from PAWS/MyCreds. A Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for the new program may also be needed. Speak with ISSAC about the timing of your application, current study permit validity, eligibility to study, and potential gaps between your programs.
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Current USask student applying to extend a study permit to study in a new program at a different level of study at USask |
Yes |
A) undergraduate to master’s/doctoral program and vice versa B) undergraduate to post-graduate diploma/graduate certificate program and vice versa |
Apply for your study permit extension before the current one expires and as soon as you receive your new program Letter of Acceptance (LOA) and PAL. Speak with ISSAC about the timing of your application, current study permit validity, eligibility to study, and potential gaps between your programs. |
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Current USask Exchange student |
No |
applying for a study permit (initial or extension) to study in an additional Exchange term at USask |
Apply for your study permit as soon as you receive a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for the additional Exchange term |
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Current VRS student with a valid study permit |
No |
applying to extend a study permit to study in an additional VRS term at the same level of studies (e.g. graduate) |
Apply for your study permit extension before the current one expires and as soon as you receieve a Letter of Acceptance (LOA) for the additional VRS term |
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Current USask student with an expired study permit eligible to apply for restoration |
Yes |
Any program |
Apply for a new study permit and pay the restoration fee. Speak with ISSAC immediately. |
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If you are coming from a Canadian High School |
Yes |
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Apply for a new study permit by extending the current one as soon you receive your Letter of Acceptance (LOA) and PAL. Important information: If you finish your high school studies early, your study permit will no longer be valid 90 days after you complete your studies, regardless of the date that is shown on your study permit. Speak with ISSAC for more assistance. |
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If you are coming from another designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada |
Yes |
Any more than 6 months academic program |
Apply for a new study permit by extending the current one. Speak with ISSAC as soon as you receive your USask Letter of Acceptance and PAL about the timing of your application, current study permit validity, eligibility to study, and gaps between your former institution and USask. |
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New students in Canada as a visitor or worker |
Yes |
Any more than 6 months academic program |
Only some people may be able to apply for a study permit inside Canada. Speak with ISSAC. |
If you are not entirely sure or your situation appears unique, please contact the International Student and Study Abroad Centre (ISSAC) before you let us know if you require a PAL.
It is every student's responsibility to review and follow (depending on your situation):
- Study Permit Instructions
- Study Permit Extension and Restoration Instructions
- PAL Information
- Visitor visa (TRV or eTA) Information
- If required, seek additional assistance from ISSAC and our Regulated Interantional Student Immigration Advisers (RISIA)
If you are meeting one of the PAL exceptions, you must provide a letter of explantion as part of your online study permit application. Below are samples of an explanation letter that you could use as a guide to help you write your own, as per your own specific situation. Please note USask cannot write letters of explanation on your behalf.
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Sample #1 (insert date) (first and last name as shown on your passport) TO: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) To whom it may concern: I am applying to extend my study permit and based on the information provided on your website, I am meeting the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) exception. The exception that
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at the above contact information. Regards, (name) (date of birth, USask student ID number)
Sample #2 (insert date) (first and last name as shown on your passport) TO: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) To whom it may concern: I am applying for a study permit to study as an exchange student under an exchange arrangement between my home institution and the University of Sasktachewan, which is a designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada. Based on the information provided on your website, I am meeting the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) exception. (name) (date of birth, USask student ID number) |
Once you confirm your offer and we receive your International Tuition Deposit, we will automatically request the PAL on your behalf. It can take up to two weeks from the time we receive your International Tuition Deposit to your PAL being issued to you.
1. Access your personal email account and look for a message from MyCreds.ca | MesCertif.ca. with instructions to register. The email should look like this:
2. Click on the link Register button in the MyCreds email. Make sure to use the same email address that you’ve provided to the University of Saskatchewan. You will not be able to access your PAL using any other email address. Your PAL is available to you at any time of day in your MyCreds online wallet.
After you receive your Letter of Acceptance (LOA) and your PAL, please apply for your study permit online on the IRCC website as soon as possible. Please do not delay applying for your study permit. IRCC must receive your study permit application before the expiry date indicated in your PAL.
No. PALs are not required for travelling to Canada purposes. PALs are required for study permit application purposes only. To find out more information about travelling to Canada, please review this Government of Canada page and contact the International Student and Study Abroad Centre (ISSAC) if you need more assistance.
All PAL tuition deposits must be made through the following this link. You will need to make a $1,000 deposit through this portal. Tuition deposits are directly applied towards paying your first term tuition once you begin your program.
We are sorry to hear that you are having difficulty accessing your PAL. If you are having trouble accessing your PAWS account at https://pawscas.usask.ca, you can try resetting your password by selecting “Forgot password.” If you still cannot access your PAWS account, please contact IT Service Support at: (306)966-2222 or itsupport@usask.ca.
If there is an error in your PAL (e.g. wrong date of birth, name etc), please contact the Admissions office immediately to request a change to incorrect information at admissions@usask.ca or (306) 966-5788. Please note that middle names are not required information for PALs.
Nobody can guarantee that your study permit will be approved. Final decisions on all study permit applications are made by IRCC.
For questions related to study permit applications, please go to the IRCC website and contact the International Student and Study Abroad Cenntre (ISSAC) if you require more assistance.
For questions regarding the MyCreds site and how to download your PAL, visit https://mycreds.ca/learners/faqs/
For additional questions about the USask admission or tuition deposit payment process, please contact admissions@usask.ca