Changes to IRCC Processes
This information was last updated on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. Please refer directly to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website for the most up-to-date information.
IRCC Announcement
On January 22, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada announced new measures to stabilize the number of international students in Canada. Their news release can be found here: Canada to stabilize growth and decrease number of new international student permits issued to approximately 360,000 for 2024.
Getting a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) at CBU
At this time, we have been given our allocation of PALs by the province of Nova Scotia and have begun issuing PALs to eligible applicants. If you have been accepted for Spring 2024 or Fall 2024 intakes, have paid your tuition deposit and have been issued a CBU email address, you must fill out this form to express your request for a PAL.
*Note: Students entering the Master of Business Administration program in Spring 2024 or Fall 2024 do not require a PAL and are not required to complete the PAL Request Form.
If you already have your visa, or submitted your visa application before January 22, 2024, you do not need a PAL.
If you have confirmed your seat and would like to proceed with your PAL request, please fill out the form: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=GjnGA9TyV0my54XNBi0O8Qq9vvqELO5Aq4Z2RU8CDpVURU0wV0JFTUtYQlVYSUozVjAzQkk1TlI2UC4u
Submitting this form does not guarantee you will receive a PAL. The form indicates your desire to apply for a PAL. After submission, CBU will review your application and determine whether or not you are eligible to receive a PAL. You will be notified via email once this decision has been made.
This form is only open to students who have been accepted for Spring 2024 or Fall 2024 intakes. All future applications will have an updated process with more information to come.
Process Breakdown
- Be accepted for Spring or Fall Semester of 2024
- Pay your tuition deposit and confirm your seat
- You will be issued a CBU email address after your payment has been processed
- Fill out the PAL Request Form using your CBU email address
- CBU reviews your eligibility
- CBU requests the PAL on your behalf
- Your PAL gets uploaded to your future student account
PALS Will Not Be Issued for Spring 2024
Due to delays in the provincial process, we will not be issuing PALs for the Spring 2024 semester. Students who have been accepted for Spring 2024 will be given the opportunity to defer to September intake and proceed with a PAL request for Fall 2024. Even if Spring 2024 is listed as your last available intake, in this instance we will be allowing you to defer to Fall 2024 due to the PAL process delays.
Changes to the Cost of Living Requirement
On January 1, 2024, IRCC made changes to the cost of living requirement for study permit applicants. For up-to-date requirements, visit the IRCC webpage here.