Reviewed 22 October 2026. IRCC's current guidance exempts applicants to qualifying degree-granting master's and doctoral programmes at public designated learning institutions from a PAL/TAL from 1 January 2026. The formal award and institution type matter.
A graduate certificate should not be treated as a master's degree simply because it follows undergraduate study. Applicants should record the exact qualification shown on the offer and verify whether the public-institution exemption covers it.
The exemption removes a specific document requirement where it applies. It does not guarantee a study permit or remove the need to satisfy the other requirements relevant to the application. Keep admission, study permit and future work-permit checks separate.
Ask the institution to confirm the formal award, teaching campus and relevant published information. Save the answer with your offer and fee policy. If a course description uses several marketing names, establish which one appears on the academic award.
For 2027 planning, review the current guidance again before applying. Do not assume that a rule checked in October settles every later application. Read our Canada 2027 guide and the separate PGWP field-list review to compare course and immigration questions carefully. This article is a current guidance review rather than a new exemption announced today.
Official reference: IRCC provincial and territorial attestation guidance.