your roadmap
The whole journey from Nepal to Canada, end to end. Canada has more gates than most destinations — this is the order they come in.
Eight stages. Canada stacks more separate approvals than any other destination on this site — an acceptance letter, a provincial attestation, a federal permit, an entry visa, and a document you only receive at the border. Each depends on the one before it.
Shortlist DLIs
Only a Designated Learning Institution can host you. If you want a post-study work permit, verify PGWP eligibility now — for college programmes this decides everything downstream.
English: test or MOI
SDS ended, so the visa no longer sets one fixed score — but institutions still do, and IRCC still weighs language.
Apply and accept
Directly to each institution. Accept an offer and pay the deposit to receive your Letter of Acceptance.
PAL or TAL — or CAQ for Quebec
The provincial attestation confirming you have a spot under the cap. Master's and PhD students at public DLIs are exempt from 2026.
Funds, then the NOC
Proof of funds and any GIC assembled with a clean four-month history. Then MoEST approval, before you remit anything.
Lodge the study permit
Online through IRCC, with the medical in Kathmandu and biometrics at VFS. Budget 8–12 weeks.
TRV stamping
On approval, submit your passport for the travel visa and receive your Letter of Introduction.
Port of entry, then week one
A border officer issues the physical study permit. Then SIN, bank account, provincial health registration and a SIM.
Canada's winter is not a joke, and your first accommodation decision is usually made before you have seen the city.
University residence
Simplest to arrange from Nepal and the easiest way to land softly. Apply early.
Homestay
Common for a first term, especially for younger undergraduates.
Shared rental
The most common long-term option, often found through the Nepali community once you arrive.
Carry in hand, not in checked baggage: your Letter of Introduction, passport with the TRV, your LOA, proof of funds, the PAL or CAQ, and your medical records. The border officer who issues your study permit will want to see these — and a permit is not guaranteed simply because a visa was.
At the border: a Border Services Officer issues your physical study permit — the TRV only got you to the door
To work legally: apply for a Social Insurance Number
Healthcare: provincial and variable — some provinces cover you publicly after a waiting period, others require a private or university plan
Then a bank account, a SIM, and your institution's orientation. Sort health cover in your first week — the waiting periods in some provinces mean a gap you would rather discover on paper than in a clinic.
Off-campus work: 24 hours per week in session, unlimited during scheduled breaks
Canada's allowance is among the most generous anywhere, and part-time work genuinely helps with living costs. But if permanent residency is your goal, remember that only skilled (TEER 0/1/2/3) work counts toward the Canadian Experience Class. Retail hours pay rent; they do not build your PR case.