Study Permit Verified 2026-04-13Study Permit
Canada Study Permit for Indian students enrolling at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). Complete guide on IRCC fees, documents, PAL requirements, and 2026 updates.
No visa is ever guaranteed — the final decision always rests with the Canada visa authority. We make sure your file is presented at its strongest.
Processing
Varies by profile. Doctoral students
Stay Duration
Duration of your approved study program +…
Starting Fee
CAD $150
Apply At
10 VFS centres
Your whole Canada Study Permit,
handled for one honest price.
A strong Canada file clearly explains your travel purpose, funds, and ties to India. We structure and submit everything properly — so your case is presented clearly and professionally.
All-in · 18% GST included · no hidden charges
File-ready in 3–5 working days after documents
5★ · 100+ reviews · reply in 5 min
Everything below — included, nothing extra
- Document checklist
- Application form guidance
- Document review
- Cover letter
- Purpose of travel structure
- Financial proof review
- Sponsor document guidance
- Submission & appointment support
- Post-submission guidance
Not sure you qualify? Start with a refundable ₹499 possibility report — an honest Yes / Maybe / No, credited to this fee.
Price is for our consultancy service only and includes 18% GST. No agency can guarantee a visa — the final decision rests with the visa authority.
Your fee, in one glance
What the ₹29,999–₹39,999 fee covers for a Canada file
- We work out what your case actually is, before touching a form
- We build the checklist around your profile, not a template
- We read your documents against each other, not against a list
- Financial proof review
- Purpose of travel structuring
- Cover letter / explanation support
- Return ties review
- Sponsor / invitation guidance
- Application form guidance
- Submission & appointment support
- Biometrics guidance
- Post-submission support
Government, VFS, insurance, ticket and hotel costs are separate and charged at cost. Read what each item means, in full.
Good to know before you apply
Rules that apply to every Canada visa type — worth a quick read so nothing trips up your file.
- 1Your passport must be valid for the entire duration of your intended stay in Canada.
- 2Biometrics (fingerprints + digital photo) are required for most applicants — valid for 10 years.
- 3Do NOT submit your passport to VAC until you receive the Passport Request Letter from IRCC.
- 4Effective Feb 24, 2026: Biometric appointments require you to upload the BIL via the new AMS system.
- 5Effective Oct 9, 2023: Only the applicant, parents (for minors), or 1 appointed family member can submit passports at VAC — not unauthorized third parties.
- 6Not accepted as identity documents: passports from Somalia, non-machine-readable Czech passports, temporary South African passports, provisional Venezuelan passports.
- 7VFS online tracking shows passport LOCATION only. For application processing status, check your IRCC online account directly.
Who Can Apply
- Students with acceptance from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI)
- Bachelor's, Master's, PhD, diploma, certificate programs
- Doctoral students (faster processing + no PAL as of Jan 2026)
- Specific graduate programs (no cap)
Not eligible under this visa:
- Programs at non-DLI institutions
- Short-term courses under 6 months (can use visitor visa)
- Applicants without proof of financial support
What it costs
Government & VFS fees
Paid directly to Canada / VFS — these are not our service fee, and we never mark them up.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Study Permit application fee | CAD $150 |
| Biometrics fee — individual | CAD $85 |
| Biometrics fee — family | CAD $170 |
| VFS service charge — per package | ₹603 |
| Two-Way Courier Service | ₹1,716 |
| Premium Lounge service | ₹4,767 |
| SMS Tracking Service | ₹179 |
All IRCC government fees are in Canadian Dollars (CAD) and paid directly to IRCC online. VFS service charges are paid in INR at the VAC. Fees are subject to change — verify on IRCC (canada.ca/immigration) and VFS Global (vfsglobal.com/ind/en/can) before applying. Third-party costs (medical exam, police clearance, translation) may also apply. Tuition + proof of funds (minimum CAD $20,635/year for living expenses) are separate from these fees.
Flights · Hotels · Insurance · Itinerary
What Canada actually requires — and what it does not.
Canada decides on your ties and your funds; bookings support the story but never carry it.
0 of 4 are compulsory for Canada
Flight reservation
IRCC does not require a purchased ticket. A held reservation matching your stated dates is enough, and costs you nothing if the answer is no.
Where people slip: Reservation dates that contradict the dates on your application form. Officers cross-check, and the GCMS notes record what they found.
How to hold a flight without payingHotel booking
Show accommodation for the stay, or an invitation naming the host's status in Canada. Free-cancellation bookings are accepted.
Where people slip: An invitation from a relative with no proof they are lawfully in Canada. The invitation is only as strong as the host's status document.
Refundable hotel booking, explainedTravel insurance
Not required for a visitor visa. It IS required for a Super Visa as a parent or grandparent — minimum CAD 100,000 of cover, valid one year.
Where people slip: Confusing the visitor visa with the Super Visa. Only one carries an insurance rule, and it is a large one.
What the cover must actually sayTravel itinerary
A short, specific plan. Canada refuses far more often on "purpose of visit not established" than on missing paperwork.
Where people slip: A three-week itinerary from an applicant whose employer approved ten days of leave.
The letter your itinerary attaches toWe arrange all four for your Canada file.
We are a B2B travel agency as well as a visa consultancy, working with partners including Riya Travel — so the flight, the hotel and the policy all come from us, issued the same day, and you deal with one team instead of four. Every booking is a real one under your own name.
What to gather
Documents required
Having a document isn't the same as presenting it right — that's the part we handle.
Required — Academic Documents
4 items- Letter of Acceptance from DLIRequired
Official letter from the Designated Learning Institution confirming your admission
- Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL)
⚠️ NOT required for doctoral students as of January 1, 2026. Required for most other programs.
- Proof of financial supportRequired
Sufficient funds for tuition + CAD $20,635/year living expenses. Bank statements, sponsor affidavit, scholarship letter, or education loan.
- Academic transcripts and certificatesRequired
All previous education records — 10th, 12th, Bachelor's, Master's as relevant
Required — Common Documents
5 items- Valid passportRequired
Valid for entire stay
- Family Information Form (IMM 5645)Required
For applicants 18+
- Biometrics fee paymentRequired
- Statement of Purpose (SOP)Required
Explains why you chose this program, this institution, and your post-study plans
- IELTS / TOEFL / language proficiencyRequired
Minimum required by your DLI — varies by program
Required · optional / if applicable
The journey.
8 steps from intake to approval. Curved spine on the right shows the natural pace — never as linear as government sites pretend.
- 01
Get acceptance from a DLI
Apply to Canadian Designated Learning Institutions. Wait for an official Letter of Acceptance.
- 02
Gather financial proof
Bank statements, education loan, sponsor affidavit, or scholarship. Minimum CAD $20,635/year for living expenses + full tuition.
- 03
Obtain PAL (if required)
Provincial Attestation Letter from the province where your DLI is located. NOT required for doctoral students from Jan 1, 2026.
- 04
Apply online via IRCC Portal
Create an IRCC account, fill out the Study Permit application, upload all documents, pay CAD $150 + biometrics fee.
- 05
Wait for BIL (Biometric Instruction Letter)
IRCC emails the BIL after application submission.
- 06
Book VAC appointment for biometrics
Via the AMS system. Attend the VAC — biometrics captured.
- 07
Wait for decision
Doctoral students: 2-week target. Other programs: variable processing time.
- 08
Receive Port of Entry Letter + Study Permit
If approved, IRCC sends you a letter. The actual Study Permit is issued when you arrive at a Canadian port of entry.
What works
7 levers that flip a borderline case.
- Apply at least 4-6 months before your program start date.
- Doctoral students get fastest processing + no PAL requirement as of Jan 1, 2026 — big advantage.
- Your Statement of Purpose is critical — tell a clear story of why this program, why Canada, and your return plans.
- Canada's minimum living expense requirement is CAD $20,635/year — demonstrate you have this in liquid funds.
What kills cases
Top 3 refusal triggers we see.
- 1Insufficient proof of funds
- 2Weak Statement of Purpose
- 3Missing PAL (for programs that still require it)
Download official forms
Each link opens the official Canada page on VFS Global (we never host third-party forms): pick your visa category there and use its "Download Form" section for the current version.
Visitor Visa Application Form (IMM 5257)
Download latest version from IRCC. Required for all visitor/tourist visa applications.
Family Information Form (IMM 5645)
Mandatory for all applicants 18 years and older. Lists all family members.
Use of Representative Form (IMM 5476)
Only if using a representative to submit your application.
Authority to Release Information (IMM 5475)
Optional — authorizes someone else to receive updates about your application.
VFS application centres
Quiz not yet available for this visa type
We're actively building per-visa quizzes. For now, the best way to assess your eligibility for Study Permit is a 1-on-1 consultation with our team.
Frequently asked
Questions, answered straight
As of January 1, 2026 — doctoral students DO NOT need a PAL. Most other students (Bachelor's, Master's, diploma) still need a PAL from their province.
Minimum CAD $20,635/year for living expenses (outside Quebec) plus full tuition fees. For a 2-year Master's: roughly CAD $80,000-$100,000 total including tuition + living.
Yes — most Study Permit holders can work up to 24 hours/week off-campus during studies, and full-time during scheduled breaks. Rules may change — verify on IRCC.
Yes — spouses can apply for an Open Work Permit, and dependent children can apply for a Study Permit (or visitor record if young).
You can apply for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) to stay and work in Canada for 1-3 years after graduation. This is one of the most popular pathways to Permanent Residency.
Yes. We help with university shortlisting, DLI selection, SOP drafting, financial documentation, PAL coordination, and the full IRCC + VAC application. Book a consultation.
Reviewed by Narinder Chahal, SureshotVisa — a government-licensed consultancy (Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024). Verify us.
How we get it done
Your Canada Study Permit, from your first message to your passport back.
5 questions about this visa specifically. The first two are open — tap any other to read it.
Refused? Our full service fee comes back.Government and visa-centre fees are the one part nobody can refund.
+What does Canada want to see about my funds as a student?
That the money for tuition and living costs exists, is available to you, and came from somewhere explainable. Depending on the country that is a blocked account, a fixed deposit, a sanctioned education loan or a sponsor's income — and the sponsor's relationship to you has to be documented. The most common failure is not a small amount, it is an unexplained one: a large transfer landing shortly before the application, with no trail behind it, reads worse than a smaller balance with history.
+Do I still have to prove I will come back?
Yes, on most study routes — and it surprises people, because the whole point is a multi-year stay. The officer is asking whether the study plan is genuine and whether you intend to comply with the visa, not whether you will never emigrate lawfully later. What answers it is coherence: the course matching your academic history, the cost matching your funding, and a plan that makes sense for someone who intends to finish it.
+How long does a Canada Study Permit take, start to finish?
Three things sit between today and your trip: preparing the file properly, waiting for an appointment, and the mission's own processing. Canada currently states Varies by profile. Doctoral students: 2-week target. Other programs: several weeks to months. for the decision itself. We control the first, which is usually days. The middle depends on slot releases. The third is entirely the mission's and no consultant can shorten it — anyone telling you otherwise is selling something they cannot deliver. Tell us your travel date and we will tell you honestly whether it is realistic.
+How much of what I pay for the Canada visa is actually your fee?
Most of it is not ours. The Canada government fee (currently CAD $150) goes to the mission and the visa-centre fee goes to VFS — both charged to you at cost, never marked up, and shown as separate lines on one GST invoice in the registered company name. Our service fee is the only part we set, and it is published rather than quoted case by case.
+How does SureshotVisa handle my Canada Study Permit, from first message to passport back?
You send what you have on WhatsApp and a licensed consultant says the same working day whether the case is ready. We build the file around your profile, check every document against the others, write the cover letter to match them, and hold the file complete so the first workable appointment can be taken the moment it appears. You attend biometrics; we track the file to the decision (Canada currently states Varies by profile. Doctoral students: 2-week target. Other programs: several weeks to months.). Government and visa-centre fees (CAD $150 for this visa) are charged at cost; our own fee is published, and if the visa is refused that fee comes back in full.
Before you file
A Canada Study Permit goes one of two ways.
Filed on a guessed checklist, the government fee is gone on a refusal and the refusal follows every future application. Filed after a licensed consultant has read the papers against each other, the file answers the officer's questions before they are asked. Same Canada rules, different outcome. How we do that is written once, in full, on the method page rather than repeated here.
Other Canada Visa Types
Tourist Visa (Temporary Resident Visa)
Apply for a Canada Tourist Visa (TRV) from India. Complete guide on IRCC fees, documents, biometrics, application process through VFS Global, and 10 VAC centres across India.
View guideBusiness Visitor Visa (TRV)
Canada Business Visitor Visa for Indian professionals attending meetings, conferences, and business events in Canada. Stay less than 6 months. Not entering the Canadian labor market.
View guideWork Permit
Canada Work Permit — informational guide for Indian applicants. Once you hold your own offer, sponsorship or admission, SureshotVisa prepares and files the visa application for you — we are not a recruiting agent, so the offer itself has to be yours.
View guideFamily Visit Visa (TRV)
Canada Family Visit Visa for Indian citizens visiting family who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, temporary residents, or persons registered under the Indian Act. Up to 6 months.
View guideSpousal Visit Visa (TRV — Spouse of PR Sponsor)
Canada Spousal Visit Visa for Indian spouses whose Canadian partner has sponsored them for Permanent Residence. Faster processing available while PR application is in progress.
View guideCompassionate Visit Visa (TRV — Urgent Family)
Canada Compassionate Visit Visa for urgent visits due to critical illness, death, or other humanitarian reasons. Priority processing available with strong supporting evidence.
View guideSeafarer / Marine Crew Visa (TRV)
Canada Seafarer / Marine Crew Visa for Indian seafarers joining a vessel as crew in Canadian ports. Temporary Resident Visa for duration of contract.
View guideElectronic Travel Authorization (eTA) — For Visa-Exempt Nationals
Canada eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) — important information for Indian citizens. Most Indians need a Tourist Visa (TRV), NOT an eTA. eTA is for visa-exempt nationals.
View guideSource & Disclaimer
Data on this page is sourced from the official VFS Global Canada website and Embassy of Canada. Last verified 2026-04-13. Always verify with the official embassy before applying — fees and requirements change without notice.
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