Study permits, attestation letters and post-study work in Canada

Education in Canada is run by its 10 provinces and 3 territories. Each province designates the institutions allowed to host international students, called Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs), and sets its own quality assurance; there is no national qualifications framework. Credits are defined per province and per institution. The usual degree structure is a four-year bachelor's, a master's of one to two years, and a doctorate, so a bachelor's takes a year longer than in the UK. Not every programme at a DLI leads to a post-study work permit (PGWP), so check the programme as well as the institution. Canada's official languages are English and French. Quebec is French-speaking and runs its own student selection, the CAQ, in addition to the federal study permit. Average January temperatures (2020 to 2025) are -11.7 to -4.0 C in Montreal, -11.4 to -1.9 C in Calgary and -6.2 to 0.0 C in Toronto; Vancouver is milder at 1.8 to 6.2 C. Montreal gets 148 cm of snow a year, so budget for winter clothing and heating. In July, Toronto averages 18.1 to 26.8 C.