Student visa guide · Pakistani students
Canada student visa for Pakistani students: fee, requirements and processing time
The Study permit costs $175 in fees nobody can skip, up to $425 if every situational extra applies.
About Rs 48,500 for the Study permit at the ExchangeRate-API rate on 18 September 2026. The fee is charged in the destination's currency, so the exact amount moves with the exchange rate.
By Global Admissions Editorial · Checked against 4 official sources
What is different when you apply from Pakistan
The general process is on the Canada student visa guide. These are the parts that only apply to you.
The Student Direct Stream no longer exists
Pakistan was one of the SDS countries until IRCC closed the stream on 8 November 2024. Pakistani applicants now use the regular study permit stream, which carries no fixed processing standard.
IRCC: End of the Student Direct Stream and Nigeria Student Express (8 November 2024)Prove where your funds came from
The regular stream asks for six months of bank statements with documentation of the source of the income, and if your country applies foreign exchange controls you must also show you will be allowed to export the money.
IRCC: Study permit: Proof of financial supportHow much bank balance is required for a Canada student visa from Pakistan?
For the Study permit, Canada asks you to show CAD 23,448. The accepted form is Bank statements, a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC), or proof of a loan or scholarship, and it covers Twelve months of living expenses for a single applicant outside Quebec, excluding tuition and transport, for applications made on or after 1 September 2026. A partner adds CAD 29,192 in total for two people, and a family of three needs CAD 35,888. This is money you show, not money you pay, so it never appears in the fee table above. The figure comes from IRCC: Study permit: Proof of financial support, checked August 2026.
IRCC: Study permit: Proof of financial support · checked August 2026
Canada student visa documents for Pakistani applicants
9documents every applicant provides.
| Document | What it involves |
|---|---|
| Letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution | Upload it in the dedicated space in your online application. Post-secondary schools are asked to validate the letter, and if yours does not respond by the deadline IRCC returns the application and refunds the processing fee. source |
| Provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL) | Needed in most cases and issued by your school on behalf of the province, confirming there is space for you within its allocation. You usually have to accept the offer and pay tuition in part or in full to get one. Master's and doctoral students at a public DLI starting on or after 1 January 2026 are exempt, as are school pupils up to grade 12. source |
| Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) if you will study in Quebec | Quebec applicants need an attestation of issuance of the CAQ from the Government of Quebec instead of a PAL, and the CAQ must carry the line confirming your place in Quebec's share of study permit applications. source |
| Valid passport and two passport-size photos | Upload the information page of your passport when applying online, and write your name and date of birth on the back of each photo. If you are approved you must then send IRCC your original passport. source |
| Proof of financial support | Show funds for tuition, living expenses and return transport for yourself and anyone coming with you, without relying on work in Canada. Accepted evidence includes a GIC from a Canadian financial institution, six months of bank statements with the source of the income documented, a loan or scholarship award, or a sponsor's letter with proof of their employment. source |
| Letter of explanation | Recommended rather than mandatory. It explains why you want to study in Canada and shows you understand your responsibilities as an international student. source |
| Immigration medical exam where required | You may need one if you plan to stay longer than six months, have recently spent time in certain countries, or intend to work in a job where public health must be protected. source |
| Police certificate if IRCC asks for one | Not requested in every case, but the certificates take time to obtain, so apply early if you think yours will be needed. source |
| Documents specific to your local visa office | Requirements vary by the country you apply from. Select your country under Outside Canada then Apply online on the How to apply page to see your visa office instructions, and prove your immigration status if you are applying from a country other than your own. source |
How to apply for a Canada student visa from Pakistan
- Accept your offer and get the letter of acceptance
Your designated learning institution issues the letter of acceptance once you accept the place. Confirm the school will validate it, since IRCC now checks letters directly with schools.
source - Obtain your PAL or TAL, or a CAQ for Quebec
Most applicants need the attestation letter from the province or territory before applying, and getting one usually means paying tuition in part or in full first. Quebec runs its own certificate instead.
source - Assemble your proof of funds
Gather evidence covering CAD 23,448 in living costs for a single applicant plus first-year tuition and transport. Bank statements need documentation showing where the money came from, so start well before you apply.
source - Apply online and give biometrics
Submit the application with each document in its correct upload slot, because anything you attach in the letter-of-acceptance slot is disclosed to your school. Biometrics are collected after you apply.
source - Complete a medical exam and police certificate if asked
Do these as early as you can, since both add weeks to the timeline and IRCC will not finalize an incomplete application.
source - Send your passport and travel
Once approved you send IRCC your original passport for the visa or eTA, then present your documents to a border officer, who issues the study permit on arrival.
source
Work rights, dependants and what comes after
Work rights
Study permit holders may work off campus up to 24 hours a week during a regular academic session and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks, provided they are enrolled full time at a designated learning institution in a program of at least six months.
sourceAfter graduation
A post-graduation work permit runs from eight months to three years. A program of at least eight months but under two years earns a permit matching the program length; two years or more earns the full three years. Most applicants have had to submit language test results since 1 November 2024, and the program must be PGWP-eligible.
sourceCanada student visa for other nationalities
Student visas for Pakistani students elsewhere
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Canada student visa cost for Pakistani students?
How much bank balance is required for a Canada student visa?
Can you work on a Canada student visa?
Official sources
- IRCC: Study permit: Get the right documents · read August 2026
- IRCC: Study permit: Proof of financial support · read August 2026
- IRCC: Provincial attestation letter or territorial attestation letter · read August 2026
- IRCC: About the post-graduation work permit · read August 2026
Proof of funds: CAD 23,448, IRCC: Study permit: Proof of financial support.