IRCC raises study permit living-expense minimums from September 1.

The new amounts apply from September 1

IRCC updated its proof-of-financial-support page on August 28, 2026. For study permit applications submitted on or after September 1, 2026, the minimum first-year living-expense amount for one applicant outside Quebec rises from $22,895 to $23,448.

The date your application is submitted decides which table applies. Applications submitted through August 31, 2026 use the previous amounts (in place since January 1, 2025); applications submitted on or after September 1 use the new table.

Living-expense minimums outside Quebec

Tuition and travel costs are separate

These amounts cover living expenses only. They are in addition to first-year tuition and the cost of travel to and from Canada for the applicant and any accompanying family members. Meeting the table amount alone does not show where the money came from or that it is genuinely available to the applicant.

IRCC lists examples of acceptable proof, such as tuition and housing receipts from the school, an education loan, a scholarship, a Canadian guaranteed investment certificate (GIC), bank statements covering six months, a letter from the person providing the funds together with their identification or business registration, and pay stubs. Students from countries with foreign exchange controls must also show that they can take the money out of the country.

Quebec uses its own financial requirements

The federal table does not apply to students going to Quebec. They must meet the amount set by Quebec's immigration ministry (MIFI) and should confirm the current figure with Quebec directly.

Keep a record of the date your online application was submitted, so you can show which table applied to you.

Official sources

• IRCC: Study permit, proof of financial support