Quebec is the only province where an international student needs two approvals before classes start: one from the province, one from Ottawa. Applying for them in the wrong order is the most common reason a first application stalls.
This guide follows the sequence as it stands in August 2026, with the fees, processing times and work rules currently in force.
Why does Quebec ask for two documents?
Immigration is a shared responsibility in Canada, and Quebec selects the temporary residents it admits for study. That gives you two files to open, in this order:
- 01A Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) for studies, issued by the ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI).
- 02A study permit, issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The order is not a formality. Ottawa will not finalise a study permit for a Quebec program without the provincial document, so the CAQ has to come first.
One point saves people a lot of searching. Most study permit applications now have to include a provincial attestation letter (PAL). In Quebec you do not request one separately: the letter confirming your CAQ is your PAL.
| Document | Issued by | Fee | Service standard |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAQ for studies | MIFI (Quebec) | CAD 135 | 25 business days, 80% of files |
| Study permit | IRCC (federal) | CAD 150 | Varies by country of residence |
Step 1: Get your letter of admission
Nothing starts before a designated learning institution admits you. Your letter of admission has to meet MIFI's requirements, and you will be asked for your tuition figures when you apply, so keep the fee schedule your institution sends you.
If you are still comparing programs, our comparison of Montreal universities sets out tuition ranges and admission requirements side by side.
Step 2: Apply for temporary selection for studies
The CAQ is obtained through an online application for temporary selection for studies, submitted on Quebec's Arrima platform.
Before you begin, have on hand:
- Your passport
- Your letter of admission
- Your tuition fee information
- A valid credit card
The form cannot be saved partway through, so set aside enough time to finish it in one sitting. After you submit it you have one hour to pay, and your application does not count as submitted until the payment goes through. A file number appears within 48 hours, and you then have 15 days to upload your supporting documents.
What it costs and how long it takes
The fee is CAD 135 for an international student for applications made from January 1, 2026, and it is adjusted every January 1. It is not refunded if your application is refused.
MIFI's service standard is a decision within 25 business days for 80% of complete files. The ministry publishes its actual performance separately, and as of July 17, 2026 it was running at 29 business days. Plan around the real number, not the target.
Check the institution caps before you apply
This is the step most guides still miss. For the period December 17, 2025 to December 16, 2027, Quebec has capped by order the number of temporary selection applications it will accept per educational institution, per one-year period. It applies to vocational, college and university studies. An order in council of July 22, 2026 revised the maximums.
If your institution has reached its ceiling, you cannot apply unless an exemption covers you. Exemptions include continuing your current program at the same institution and level, asylum seekers, dependent children of a temporary foreign worker or foreign student, refresher training required by a health professional order, and a transfer forced by an institution ceasing its activities. Each one requires a supporting document.
Applications that break the rules are rejected rather than refused, and the fee is refunded. The place then goes back into the pool, which MIFI reallocates on selected Thursdays at 2 p.m.
Step 3: Apply for your federal study permit
With your CAQ letter in hand, you apply to IRCC. You must apply online. Paper applications are accepted only if a disability prevents you from applying online, or if you hold an identity or travel document for non-national residents, refugees or stateless persons.
Upload the CAQ letter into the provincial attestation letter field. If that field does not appear in your application, put it in the client information field instead.
Submit as complete a package as you can the first time. IRCC will not finalise a permit on an incomplete application, and documents sent later simply add to the processing time.
Doctoral students are worth a separate look: IRCC now offers faster processing for PhD applicants and their accompanying family members.
How much money do you have to show?
Quebec sets the amount, and it covers basic needs only, on top of tuition and travel. For applications made from January 1, 2026, a single student must show CAD 24,617 for one year. The figure rises with each accompanying family member, and beyond six people it goes up by CAD 5,254 per additional person.
Where you send the proof depends on where you live. Residents of Austria, Canada, the United States, France, Greenland, Hong Kong, Réunion, Monaco, Mexico and Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon file it through Arrima. Everyone else presents it to the Canadian visa office handling the study permit, which then assesses it against Quebec's criteria.
Since July 2026 IRCC also looks at where the money came from, not only at the closing balance. We cover the family-size amounts and the evidence officers now expect in a dedicated guide to proof of funds.
What happens when you arrive
There is no fixed window for arriving before your program starts, so give yourself a reasonable margin. At the border you will be asked for your passport, the port of entry letter of introduction the visa office sent you, a copy of your letter of acceptance, and proof that you can support yourself.
If you needed an immigration medical exam, it is valid for 12 months and has to be valid on the day you enter Canada, even if your letter of introduction still is.
One rule catches people out: you cannot work in Canada before your program begins, on campus or off.
How many hours can you work while you study?
During regular terms you can work up to 24 hours per week off campus. This replaced the old 20-hour cap, and it applies even if your permit still has the 20-hour wording printed on it.
Treat 24 as a ceiling rather than an average. During breaks scheduled by your institution — summer, winter holidays, reading week — you can work unlimited hours.
To work off campus without a separate work permit you must be studying full time at a designated learning institution in a program of at least six months leading to a degree, diploma or certificate, and hold a social insurance number. Students enrolled only in an English or French second-language program, or only in general interest courses, are not eligible.
Remote work for an employer outside Canada does not count toward the 24 hours.
How long does the permit last?
A study permit is normally valid for the length of your program plus 90 days. If you finish early, it stops being valid 90 days after you complete your studies, whatever date is printed on it — the clock starts on the first notice from your institution, whether that is a completion letter, a transcript or the diploma itself.
If your permit will expire before you finish, you have to apply to extend it before it lapses.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need the CAQ before the study permit?
Yes. The CAQ letter is what IRCC accepts as Quebec's attestation letter, and the federal application asks for it.
Is the CAQ fee refundable if I am refused?
No. The CAD 135 is non-refundable on a refusal. It is refunded only when an application is ruled non-receivable, for example because it breaches the institution caps.
Does the CAD 24,617 include tuition?
No. It covers basic needs for one year. Budget tuition and a round trip on top of it.
Can my program be full if I already study there?
If you are continuing your current program at the same institution and the same level, an exemption from the caps applies, but you must declare it and attach a recent letter from the registrar.
Does hiring a representative speed things up?
No. MIFI states plainly that no priority or special treatment follows from using an immigration professional, and that you alone can submit your documents in Arrima.
Key takeaways
- Quebec needs two approvals, and the CAQ comes first. In Quebec the CAQ letter doubles as your provincial attestation letter.
- The CAQ costs CAD 135, and MIFI was deciding in 29 business days as of July 17, 2026 against a 25-day standard.
- Check your institution's cap before applying. Quebec limits applications per institution until December 16, 2027, and non-compliant applications are rejected outright.
- Show CAD 24,617 for one person for a year, excluding tuition and travel, and be ready to explain where the money came from.
- You may work 24 hours per week during terms and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks — but never before your program starts.
Review your study plan
If you are preparing a Quebec application and want to clarify the sequence, the documents and the timing, book a free consultation. Submitting the form starts a conversation; it does not send an application to any authority and does not promise an outcome.
DOCERE provides technological and administrative support and coordinates your project. Regulated legal work — advice, filing and representation — is handled by our partner lawyers (members of the Quebec Bar) or a regulated immigration consultant. DOCERE is not a law firm and not an authorized immigration representative.
All sources were verified on August 13, 2026.