Last updated: 22 May 2026. Australia sources: DHA Study Visa Statistics · SBS News / DHA, 3 May 2026. Canada sources: IRCC — Student Direct Stream · IRCC 2026 study permit allocations.
Both Australia and Canada have significantly tightened international student visa conditions since 2024. For students deciding between the two destinations in 2026, the key variables — visa approval rates, fees, processing times, and sector structure — have changed materially in both markets.
This article uses current data for both countries. All visa approval and refusal figures are labelled by whether they are offshore, onshore, or combined.
Data scope note: Australian offshore approval and refusal rates apply to applicants lodging from outside Australia. Australian onshore rates apply to applicants already in Australia. Canadian study permit approval data is published by IRCC as combined (offshore + onshore not separately reported in the same format as Australia). Where figures cannot be split, this is noted.
Side-by-side: the key numbers
| Metric | Australia | Canada |
|---|---|---|
| Visa type | Student visa — Subclass 500 | Study Permit |
| Application fee | AUD $2,000 (~CAD $1,810) | CAD $150 (~AUD $165) |
| Fee refundable? | No | No |
| Offshore HE approval rate (March 2026) | 59% (offshore only) | Not separately published as offshore-only |
| Overall study permit approval rate (2025 most recent combined) | — | Varies significantly by source country |
| Cap in place? | No student intake cap | Yes — 485,000 study permits for 2026 |
| PAL required? | No equivalent | Yes — Provincial Attestation Letters required for most applicants |
| Typical offshore processing — HE | 28 days – 6 months (median ~33 days at P1) | 4–16 weeks (Student Direct Stream); 8–20 weeks (standard) |
| English test minimum | Varies by course and provider | Varies by institution |
Sources: Australia — DHA Study Visa Statistics · DHA Subclass 500. Canada — IRCC Study Permits · IRCC 2026 allocations.
Visa fee: Australia is significantly more expensive to apply
Australia's AUD $2,000 application fee — introduced July 2025, up from AUD $1,600 — is among the highest student visa application fees in the world. Canada's CAD $150 fee is roughly 12 times lower.
The difference is material because both fees are non-refundable. In Australia, an applicant from a high-refusal market who is refused has spent AUD $2,000. In Canada, a refused applicant has spent CAD $150.
In March 2026, approximately 4,800 offshore Australian HE applications were refused, representing approximately AUD $9.6 million (est.) in non-refundable fees collected by the Australian government in a single month. Source: VisaHQ, 4 May 2026.
Implication: In Australia, the financial risk of lodging a weak application is substantially higher than in Canada. This makes pre-lodgement preparation more consequential.
Offshore approval rates: different measurement frameworks
Australia and Canada measure and publish visa outcome data differently, which makes direct comparison difficult.
Australia publishes monthly offshore Higher Education grant and refusal rates by country. The March 2026 offshore HE grant rate was 59% (offshore only) — with country-level variation from approximately 35% (India: 49%, Nepal: 35%) to above 95% (China: ~96.5%).
Canada does not publish the same monthly, sector-level, offshore-split data. IRCC publishes approval rates by program type and source country on a less frequent cadence. The most recent IRCC data shows approval rates varying considerably by source country, with high-demand markets like India, Nigeria, and Pakistan seeing lower approval rates than historically.
Due to the different measurement frameworks, a direct numerical comparison of Australian and Canadian approval rates for the same source country cannot be made from publicly available data. Both countries have tightened conditions since 2024.
Canada's caps and PAL requirement: a structural difference
Canada introduced a national cap of 485,000 study permits for 2026, distributed to provinces as allocations. This is a structural difference from Australia's system, which does not cap total student numbers directly — instead, Australia uses provider-level NPL allocations under MD115 to manage volume.
The Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL) requirement — in effect since early 2024 — means most prospective international students applying to Canadian colleges and universities must obtain a PAL from the relevant province before their application can be processed. PAL availability varies significantly by province and institution, and in some provinces PALs are exhausted before the year's intake is complete.
Applicants to master's and doctoral programs are generally exempt from the PAL requirement in Canada.
There is no equivalent to the PAL in Australia. Australian applications do not require a pre-approval from a state government. The closest equivalent is the provider's MD115 priority tier, which affects processing speed but does not restrict whether an application can be lodged.
Processing times: Australia can be faster for HE Priority 1
For Higher Education applications at a Priority 1 provider under MD115, Australia's offshore processing median is approximately 33 days for straightforward applications. This is faster than Canada's Student Direct Stream (4–16 weeks) and significantly faster than Canada's standard stream (8–20 weeks).
However, this comparison only holds for Priority 1 providers. Australian VET applications take 7–12 months offshore. Australian ELICOS applications take 44 days to 14 months offshore. Processing times are offshore applications only in both columns above.
All Australian processing times depend on the provider's current MD115 priority tier. Check at DHA Visa Prioritisation Status.
Sector equivalents
| Australia | Canadian equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ELICOS (English language) | ESL / Language programs at designated language schools | Canada has no exact ELICOS equivalent regulated at the same national level. English programs at Designated Learning Institutions (DLIs) are closest. |
| VET (Certificate / Diploma level) | College diploma programs (1–3 years) | Canadian college diplomas are broadly comparable to Australian VET qualifications. PAL requirement applies to most college programs. |
| Higher Education (bachelor's, graduate) | University degree programs | Most directly comparable. PAL exemption applies to master's and doctoral programs in Canada. |
What this means for your decision
Neither country currently offers straightforward visa conditions for applicants from high-scrutiny source markets. The choice between Australia and Canada for a student from India, Nepal, Bangladesh, or similar markets in 2026 involves several practical trade-offs:
If you are from a Level 3 country (India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan): Australia's offshore refusal rates are high but the fee is AUD $2,000 and non-refundable. Canada's fee is much lower, but PAL availability and approval rates are also variable. The lower financial cost of a refused Canadian application means the downside of a weak application is less severe.
If you want Higher Education and can get into a Priority 1 Australian university: Australia's median processing time at Priority 1 (~33 days) competes favourably with Canada's Student Direct Stream. Check the university's current priority status before committing.
If you are considering VET: Australia's VET offshore processing (7–12 months) is slower than Canadian college processing for most applicants. The ASQA freeze also means no new VET providers will enter the Australian market until May 2027.
If you are onshore (already in Australia): Australia's onshore approval rates are above 90% — substantially better than offshore. This is not a comparison point with Canada; it is specific to Australia's two-track system.
This article provides general information only. It is not migration advice. Individual circumstances vary significantly. For advice specific to your situation, consult a MARA-registered migration agent (Australia) or a RCIC-registered consultant (Canada).
Data sources: DHA Study Visa Statistics · DHA Subclass 500 · SBS News / DHA, 3 May 2026 · VisaHQ, 4 May 2026 · IRCC — Study in Canada · IRCC 2026 study permit allocations · DHA Visa Prioritisation Status