International Student Program Changes

NAIT is reviewing IRCC's new field of study requirements and will soon share details on which programs meet the new PGWP eligibility requirements. Please stay tuned for more information. Currently NAIT is not offering application or deposit refunds due to the PGWP changes.

Students who have already applied to NAIT should note that if you submit your study permit application before November 1, 2024, the new field of study requirements for the PGWP will not apply to you.

NAIT is reviewing IRCC's new field of study requirements and will soon share details on which programs meet the new PGWP eligibility requirements. Please stay tuned for more information.

• If you took an ELP test for admission, your test result may expire before you apply for a PGWP, so you may need to write a new ELP test. However, the language requirement for the PGWP is lower than NAIT's English Language Proficiency (ELP) currently needed for admission.
• If you did not need to take an ELP test for admission to NAIT, you will still be required to write an ELP test in order to apply for a PGWP after you graduate. Given that the language requirement for the PGWP is lower than NAIT’s ELP standard, we anticipate NAIT graduates will have the language skills to mee the requirement when the time comes to apply.

NAIT is waiting for clarification from IRCC to know how applying to extend your study permit after November 1, 2024, will impact your PGWP eligibility.  We will provide this information as soon as we can.

In addition to meeting IRCC's existing PGWP eligibility criteria, you’ll now need to pass a language test (a minimum level of CLB 5 in English or NCLC 5 in French for all four language areas) within 2 years of when you submit your PGWP application.

A provincial attestation letter (PAL) is a formal document that confirms details about a student. It also proves that you've been accounted for under the national study permit application cap. 

As of January 22, 2024 most new study permit applications submitted to IRCC for a NAIT program must include an attestation letter from the Province of Alberta.

Most NAIT international students will need to include a PAL with their application for a new study permit.

There are a few exemptions where students may not need a PAL when applying for their study permit.

If you already have your study permit or submitted a study permit application before January 22, 2024, you do not need a PAL.

You do not need a PAL when applying for a study permit extension.

If you do not already have a study permit, you will need to:

1. Pay your tuition deposit to accept your offer of admission to NAIT. 
2. Wait for the required PAL. NAIT will notify you by email when this letter is available. In most cases, you can expect your PAL within seven (7) business days of paying your deposit.
3. Submit your PAL with your study permit application (not after). 

If you require a PAL, we’ll send a notification to the email listed on your MyNAIT profile once your PAL is available. Please check your email frequently.

Once you have paid your tuition deposit to accept an offer of admission to NAIT, NAIT will request a PAL for you. Please ensure that you have met any admission conditions and continue to check your email frequently for instructions about your PAL.

In most cases, you can expect your PAL within seven (7) business days of paying your deposit. Once available, you can download your PAL in your MyNAIT portal.

When your PAL is available, it will be posted to your MyNAIT portal, under the ‘Submission of Documents’ section. You will be sent an email once your letter is available.

To access the letter:

• Log in to your MyNAIT portal
• Select "Open Self Service"
• Click on the "Admissions" tile
• Select your NAIT application
• Click "NAIT Submission of Documents" where your PAL has been uploaded.

Yes! For any future term (like Fall 2025), you must submit this PAL with your study permit application before the January 22, 2025. Be aware that you will not be issued another PAL if yours expires.

Make sure you pay your tuition deposit early to allow adequate time to receive your PAL and to apply for and receive your study permit.

Under certain circumstances, if your study permit is delayed, you may qualify for a deferral of your admission to a future term. Please review NAIT's Admissions Deferral process for more information about your options if your study permit is delayed.

Yes, you can still apply to the programs offered to international students at NAIT.

Yes, NAIT will continue to evaluate and process applications from international students. If you’re accepted for admission, you will receive an e-letter in your MyNAIT portal and an official Letter of Acceptance (LOA) from NAIT.

If you are admitted to NAIT, you will need to pay your tuition deposit first in order to be issued a provincial attestation letter to use when applying for your study permit. 

NAIT does not participate in any public-private partnerships (PPP), and the Post-Graduation Work Permit changes announced about these partnerships will not impact NAIT students in any way.

Current students who already have a study permit will remain unaffected, and the processing of study permit extension applications will proceed without any impact.

International students in Canada and their dependents are exempt from these new regulations. Current students and their dependents, in Canada, will continue to be able to submit applications for permit extensions as required.