Before you fly · Students
Documents to carry when you land in Canada as a student
The short answer
When you land in Canada as a student, carry these in your hand luggage: your passport with the study-permit visa (TRV), your port-of-entry letter of introduction, your Provincial Attestation Letter if your application needed one, proof of funds, your medical-exam receipt and your letter of acceptance. The border officer checks them before printing your study permit.
On this page
Landing as a student is a document check, not a formality. The officer reads your papers, confirms you are the person who was approved, and only then prints your study permit.
What never goes in checked luggage
Your documents ride in your carry-on, always. If the checked bag is delayed or lost, you land without the papers the officer needs to issue anything.
Without the documents, the officer cannot print your permit
The letter of introduction is not your study permit. The border officer prints the permit at the airport, and only after seeing your documents. If your passport, letter of introduction and supporting papers are in a checked bag that hasn’t arrived, the officer cannot issue your permit and can refuse you entry. Keep every document listed below in your carry-on, in your hand.
Immigration documents
These are the papers the officer expects. Carry them together, printed, and in the order below.
Passport with your study-permit visa (TRV) or eTA
Port-of-entry (POE) letter of introduction
Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL), if your application needed one
Proof of funds
Proof of your medical exam
By the numbers
12 months
IRCC — Medical exams for studentsCAD $22,895
IRCC — Proof of financial supportJan 1, 2026
IRCC — Provincial attestation letterAcademic documents
The officer may ask for your acceptance letter, and your college will ask for the rest at registration. Keep them with your immigration papers, not in a checked bag.
Letter of Acceptance from your DLI
Transcripts and mark sheets
Degree or diploma certificates
English test result (IELTS, PTE or TOEFL)
Useful extras
Not required to enter, but hard to get once you have left India. Each earns its place in your bag.
Driving licence + an RTO driving-record extract
No-claim bonus (NCB) letter from your Indian motor insurer
Vaccination and immunisation records
Digital backups
Paper can be lost; a scan cannot. Build the backup before you fly, not after you land.
Scan every document to PDF
One clearly named file per document: passport, letter of introduction, PAL, proof of funds, acceptance letter, transcripts.
Store copies in two places
Keep them in a password-protected cloud folder and email a copy to yourself, so you can reach them from any device even if your phone is lost.
Carry photocopies separately
Put a set of paper photocopies in a different bag from the originals, so a lost bag never leaves you with nothing.
Save your IRCC account access
Note your IRCC portal login and application number. You may need them if a document is questioned at the border.
What to do next
- Packing for Canada from India: what’s worth the suitcase space, and what to leave.
- Bringing food from India to Canada: the customs rules for what’s in your bags.
- Planning your study permit? See how we handle Canada study permits end to end.
Common questions
What documents do I need at the Canada airport for a study permit?
Carry your passport with the study-permit visa (TRV) or eTA, your port-of-entry letter of introduction, proof of funds, your letter of acceptance, and, if your application needed one, your Provincial Attestation Letter. If you had an upfront medical exam, carry the printed receipt too. The officer checks these and then prints your study permit.
Do I still need a PAL for a Canadian study permit in 2026?
Most study-permit applicants still need a Provincial or Territorial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) in 2026. As of January 1, 2026, master's and doctoral students at a public designated learning institution are exempt. Carry the copy of the PAL you applied with; keep it with your immigration documents in your carry-on.
Is the letter of introduction the same as the study permit?
No. The letter of introduction, also called the port-of-entry (POE) letter, confirms your application was approved but is not the study permit. You show it to the border officer, who then prints and gives you the actual study permit at the airport. Carry it printed or on your phone, because you cannot get the permit without it.
Do I have to carry my medical exam report when I land in Canada?
If you did an upfront medical exam with a panel physician, yes: bring proof and give it to the border officer. That proof is the printed information sheet (eMedical) or IMM 1017B the doctor gave you. Your exam is valid for 12 months and must still be valid on the day you enter Canada.
Should study documents go in my carry-on or checked bag?
Always in your carry-on. Your passport, letter of introduction, proof of funds and academic papers must be in your hand at the border. Checked bags can be delayed or lost, and the officer prints your study permit only after seeing your documents, and without them in hand you cannot be issued the permit.
Related guides
Before you fly
Packing is the easy part.
The permit itself, or the visitor visa for the parents who will follow you out, is where a licensed consultant earns their keep.
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