Study · PAL and DLI
Know Your School and Your PAL Before You Pay a Deposit.
Two small acronyms decide whether your study permit can even be approved. We check both, early, so there are no costly surprises.
Get startedSimplify it all with our AI assistantAsk anything about your file, any time, right in your dashboard.
- School confirmed on the list
- PAL requirement checked
- Application ready to file
THE BASICS
What are a PAL and a DLI?
A DLI is a Designated Learning Institution, a school approved to host international students. A PAL is a Provincial Attestation Letter, which confirms your place within a province’s cap. Most study permit applications need both to be right.
- DLI
- Your school must be on the approved list
- PAL
- Needed by most study permit applicants
- Who issues the PAL
- The province or territory
- Exemptions
- Some applicants do not need one
How we check
- 1
Confirm the DLI
We check that your school and campus are approved for the program you want.
- 2
Work out if you need a PAL
We check whether you are exempt or whether you must request one.
- 3
Match the letter to your application
The details on the PAL must line up with your acceptance letter and permit application.
Is my school really approved?
Being a school is not the same as being a DLI. Each school has its own DLI number, and some programs at an approved school are not eligible for a work permit afterwards.
Is the PAL the same as my acceptance letter?
No. The acceptance letter comes from your school; the PAL comes from the province. Most applicants need both before applying.
My PAL has the wrong details?
A mismatch can lead to refusal. Tell us before you apply and we will help you get it corrected.
Why VisaOClock
Why choose VisaOClock
Immigration is high stakes and full of small rules. Here is what you get when we handle it with you.
Licensed professionals review every file
A regulated consultant or lawyer checks your application before anything is submitted.
An AI assistant that explains things plainly
Ask a question at 2am and get a clear answer based on your file, not a generic search result.
One dashboard for the whole journey
Documents, deadlines and decisions in one place, from first question to final result.
Deadlines tracked so you don’t have to
We watch your expiry dates and filing windows, and remind you well before they matter.
Honest advice, even when it is not what you hoped
If a route is weak, we say so, and point you to a better one instead of taking your fee.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Client stories
Trusted by people building their lives abroad.
Sample reviews shown while we collect permissions from real clients.
“I had my acceptance letter but no idea about the provincial letter. They caught it before I paid my deposit.”
A. K.
Study permit · Sample review
“My permit was weeks from expiring and I had not realised. The extension went in with days to spare.”
M. R.
Study permit extension · Sample review
“The PGWP deadline snuck up on me after exams. They had everything ready the same week.”
S. P.
PGWP · Sample review
“Our LMIA had been refused once before. This time the recruitment records were exactly what they needed.”
D. O.
LMIA application, employer · Sample review
“My work permit would have run out before my PR came through. The bridging permit kept me working.”
L. C.
Bridging work permit · Sample review
“I had my acceptance letter but no idea about the provincial letter. They caught it before I paid my deposit.”
A. K.
Study permit · Sample review
“My permit was weeks from expiring and I had not realised. The extension went in with days to spare.”
M. R.
Study permit extension · Sample review
“The PGWP deadline snuck up on me after exams. They had everything ready the same week.”
S. P.
PGWP · Sample review
“Our LMIA had been refused once before. This time the recruitment records were exactly what they needed.”
D. O.
LMIA application, employer · Sample review
“My work permit would have run out before my PR came through. The bridging permit kept me working.”
L. C.
Bridging work permit · Sample review
“Super visa for both my parents, sorted without the stress I was expecting. The insurance advice alone was worth it.”
N. T.
Super visa · Sample review
“My mother-in-law’s visitor visa had been refused. They found the gap in the first file and fixed it.”
J. W.
Visitor visa · Sample review
“They were straight with me that Express Entry alone wasn’t enough and found a provincial stream instead.”
P. S.
Provincial nominee · Sample review
“Sixty days to submit after the invitation felt impossible. Everything was already prepared.”
R. B.
Express Entry · Sample review
“The checklist for my spousal sponsorship made a daunting process feel manageable.”
F. H.
Spousal sponsorship · Sample review
“Super visa for both my parents, sorted without the stress I was expecting. The insurance advice alone was worth it.”
N. T.
Super visa · Sample review
“My mother-in-law’s visitor visa had been refused. They found the gap in the first file and fixed it.”
J. W.
Visitor visa · Sample review
“They were straight with me that Express Entry alone wasn’t enough and found a provincial stream instead.”
P. S.
Provincial nominee · Sample review
“Sixty days to submit after the invitation felt impossible. Everything was already prepared.”
R. B.
Express Entry · Sample review
“The checklist for my spousal sponsorship made a daunting process feel manageable.”
F. H.
Spousal sponsorship · Sample review
Not sure your school and PAL are right?
Create your free account — real answers, licensed guidance, no obligation.