Home›University Recognition›Canada DLI List and PGWP Eligibility Guide
The Canada DLI list is the first official check an international student should complete before paying a deposit, but it does not answer every programme question. A school can be a Designated Learning Institution and still offer programmes that do not make every graduate eligible for a post-graduation work permit.
This guide explains how to verify the institution, exact campus, programme type, delivery mode, PGWP rules, field-of-study requirement and PAL/TAL position. It also includes a real walkthrough using the University of Waterloo Master of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence programme.
Verification rule: do not stop at “the school is a DLI.” The correct chain is DLI → exact campus → exact programme → credential type → delivery mode → PGWP programme rules → student-specific eligibility.
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What a Canada DLI Check Proves
A Designated Learning Institution is a school approved by a provincial or territorial government to host international students. A letter of acceptance from a DLI is required for a study-permit application.
The institution is authorised to host international students.
It does not automatically prove:
Every campus is the same.
Every programme is PGWP eligible.
Your programme meets field-of-study rules.
You personally will qualify for a PGWP.
The programme is a good academic or financial decision.
The official Government of Canada DLI page explicitly warns that not every programme offered by a DLI is PGWP eligible. Students must open the institution details and complete programme-level checks.
How to Read the Official DLI Table
| Field | What to record | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Province | Province or territory of study | PAL/TAL, tuition, health coverage and provincial processes can differ. |
| DLI name | Exact legal institution name | Marketing names and partner names can be misleading. |
| DLI number | Official identifier beginning with the letter O | It is entered in the study-permit application. |
| City | Location listed by IRCC | Multi-city institutions can have separate entries. |
| Campus | Exact campus or site | The offer letter and programme page should match the verified location. |
| Public/private | Institution classification | Programme and PAL/TAL treatment can differ. |
| PGWP indicator | Whether the institution offers eligible programmes | A “Yes” does not mean every programme qualifies. |
| Graduate-program indicator | Whether listed public graduate programmes can use the PAL/TAL exemption | Relevant to qualifying public master’s and doctoral degree applicants after January 1, 2026. |
Campus matching is not optional
An institution may appear several times because it operates in different cities or at different campuses. The campus written on the letter of acceptance should match the location and delivery information you verified.
A public university name appearing on an offer does not prove that teaching happens at the university’s own listed campus. Check whether another provider or partner delivers the programme.
The Three Official DLI Views
All post-secondary DLIs
Use this to confirm the legal institution, DLI number, city, campus and public/private status.
DLIs offering PGWP-eligible programmes
Use this to confirm that the institution currently offers programmes that can support PGWP eligibility.
Public graduate DLIs
Use this to check the PAL/TAL-exempt route for qualifying public master’s and doctoral degree programmes.
These views answer different questions. Do not use one result as a substitute for the other two.
The Seven-Step Programme Verification Chain
- Find the institution on the official DLI list.
- Match the exact campus, city and DLI number.
- Confirm that the institution offers PGWP-eligible programmes.
- Open the exact programme page on the institution’s official website.
- Record credential type, duration, study mode, delivery mode and intake.
- Apply the correct PGWP language and field-of-study rules.
- Check the student-specific conditions that must remain satisfied until graduation.
Real Verification Walkthrough: University of Waterloo MDSAI
This worked example demonstrates the process using information available in July 2026. It is not a recommendation of the university or programme and does not guarantee admission, a study permit or a PGWP.
Programme selected for the walkthrough
University: University of Waterloo
Programme: Master of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, Co-op
Credential: Master of Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
Faculty: Faculty of Mathematics
Step 1: Search the official DLI list
Open the Government of Canada DLI list, select Ontario and search for “University of Waterloo.”
The official list records:
| Official field | Result to record |
|---|---|
| Institution | University of Waterloo |
| DLI number | O19305471522 |
| City | Waterloo for the main-campus entry |
| Campus | Allen Square Campus, Balsillie School of International Affairs and Main Campus are included in the Waterloo entry |
| PGWP indicator | Yes — the institution offers PGWP-eligible programmes |
| Graduate-program indicator | Yes — qualifying public graduate degree programmes can use the current PAL/TAL-exempt route |
| Institution type | Public institution |
What this proves: the University of Waterloo is a public DLI and currently offers PGWP-eligible and qualifying graduate programmes. It does not by itself prove that the exact programme, delivery arrangement and student circumstances satisfy every PGWP condition.
Step 2: Open the exact programme page
Use the University of Waterloo’s official graduate-programme page rather than a third-party course listing. The MDSAI programme page currently states:
| Programme field | Official programme-page information | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Admit term | Fall | Confirms when the programme starts. |
| Delivery mode | On-campus | Important for distance-learning and campus verification. |
| Programme type | Co-operative, Master’s, Professional | Confirms the credential category and co-op structure. |
| Programme length | 16 months | Exceeds the current eight-month minimum used in general PGWP eligibility. |
| Registration | Full-time | Full-time status is a core PGWP condition during study, subject to limited exceptions. |
| Study option | Coursework | Distinguishes the programme from a thesis route. |
| Application deadline | January 15 for September admission | Useful for application and funding planning. |
Step 3: Classify the credential correctly
The programme is identified by the university as a master’s degree. Under current PGWP programme rules:
- Master’s graduates must show language ability at CLB/NCLC 7 in all four skills when the current language rule applies.
- There is no PGWP field-of-study requirement for bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree graduates.
- The absence of a field-of-study requirement does not remove the general eligibility rules.
This classification is different from “other university programme” or “college/polytechnic/non-university programme,” where field-of-study requirements can apply depending on the study-permit application date.
Step 4: Check the PAL/TAL route
The official DLI list includes the University of Waterloo among public institutions offering qualifying graduate degree programmes. Under the current rule, an applicant applying after January 1, 2026 for a qualifying degree-granting public master’s or doctoral programme does not need a PAL or TAL.
The student still needs a valid letter of acceptance and all other study-permit documents. The final check should confirm that the exact offer is for the master’s degree programme listed by the public institution, not a non-degree pathway or partner-delivered programme.
Step 5: Apply the general PGWP conditions
The programme’s 16-month length and on-campus, full-time design support important parts of the eligibility analysis, but the student must still satisfy the requirements throughout study.
| General condition | How the student should protect eligibility |
|---|---|
| Programme at least eight months | Save the official page and later the completion letter confirming programme length. |
| Full-time status | Remain full-time in each required semester unless a recognised exception applies. |
| Distance-learning limit | For a lock-in date on or after September 1, 2024, complete at least 50% of the programme in class within Canada. |
| Completion evidence | Keep the final transcript and official completion confirmation. |
| Application deadline | Apply for the PGWP within 180 days of official programme completion confirmation. |
| Study-permit validity | Ensure the study permit was valid at some point during the relevant 180-day period. |
| Language evidence | Complete an accepted test and meet the required CLB/NCLC level when applying. |
| Passport validity | Check passport expiry because permit duration can be affected by travel-document validity. |
Step 6: Match the offer and payment documents
Before paying, compare the programme page and offer letter line by line:
- University legal name.
- DLI number.
- Exact programme and credential.
- Campus and city.
- Start date and expected completion date.
- Full-time status.
- On-campus delivery.
- Co-op component and whether a separate co-op work permit may be required.
- Tuition deposit, refund conditions and authorised payment route.
Step 7: Save a verification evidence pack
├── DLI list screenshot or PDF with date
├── institution and DLI number
├── exact programme page
├── credential, duration and delivery notes
├── offer letter
├── tuition and refund policy
├── PGWP rules saved on the verification date
├── PAL/TAL or exemption evidence
└── written clarification from the institution where needed
Result of the walkthrough: the available official evidence supports treating this as an on-campus, full-time, 16-month master’s degree at a public DLI that offers PGWP-eligible programmes and a qualifying graduate route. Final PGWP eligibility still depends on the student completing the programme and satisfying every rule in force when applying.
PGWP Rules by Credential Type
| Credential route | Current language requirement | Current field-of-study position |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | CLB/NCLC 7 in all four skills | No field-of-study requirement |
| Master’s degree | CLB/NCLC 7 in all four skills | No field-of-study requirement |
| Doctoral degree | CLB/NCLC 7 in all four skills | No field-of-study requirement |
| Other university programme | CLB/NCLC 7 | Can apply when the study-permit application was submitted on or after November 1, 2024 |
| College, polytechnic or non-university programme | CLB/NCLC 5 | Can apply when the study-permit application was submitted on or after November 1, 2024 |
A programme’s marketing title is not enough. Identify the credential actually awarded and use that credential to determine which rule column applies.
How to Verify a Field-of-Study Requirement
Where the field-of-study rule applies, ask the institution for the programme’s current classification or CIP code and compare it with IRCC’s current eligible-fields list.
- Confirm that your credential route actually has a field-of-study requirement.
- Request the exact programme CIP or classification code from the institution.
- Search the current IRCC eligible-fields resource.
- Save the result with the date checked.
- Recheck before starting and before making a major programme change.
Do not infer eligibility from the programme name. Two courses with similar marketing titles can have different classification codes and eligibility outcomes.
Public-Private Curriculum Licensing Programmes
A curriculum licensing agreement allows a private career college to deliver a programme on behalf of a public institution. These public-private or P3 programmes are not PGWP eligible in most current cases, subject to limited historical exceptions.
| High-risk sign | Action before payment |
|---|---|
| Public institution logo but teaching at a private partner campus | Find the actual delivery provider and location in writing. |
| Agent says “same certificate as the public college” | Check IRCC’s curriculum-licensing rules and programme details. |
| Offer location does not match the public institution’s DLI entry | Pause payment and obtain written clarification. |
| Programme page is hosted only on a partner website | Verify the route on the awarding institution and IRCC sources. |
Do not assume that a public institution’s name on the certificate protects PGWP eligibility when programme delivery occurs through an ineligible arrangement.
Programme Eligibility Is Not the Same as Student Eligibility
Even a correctly verified programme does not guarantee that every student will receive a PGWP.
Conditions that can affect the student
- Failure to maintain full-time status without an accepted exception.
- Unauthorised leave from study.
- Completing too much of the programme through distance learning.
- Studying or working without proper authorisation.
- Missing the PGWP application deadline.
- Failing the current language requirement.
- Previous receipt of a PGWP.
- Programme transfer that changes the eligible study period.
- Passport expiry affecting the permit period.
- Completing an ineligible programme or delivery arrangement.
Keep academic records, registration history, authorised-leave evidence and immigration documents throughout the programme rather than trying to rebuild them after graduation.
What to Ask the Institution Before Paying
- What is the DLI number for my exact campus?
- What credential will appear on my final completion document?
- Is this exact programme currently treated as PGWP eligible?
- Who delivers the programme and where are classes held?
- Is any part delivered by a private partner?
- What is the programme’s normal length and full-time structure?
- What is the CIP or classification code if a field-of-study rule applies?
- Does the programme include co-op, placement or online terms?
- What documents will be issued after completion?
- What happens to the deposit after a study-permit refusal?
Verification Red Flags
| Red flag | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| “Every programme at this DLI gets PGWP” | The official DLI page says not every programme at a listed institution is eligible. |
| “You can check PGWP after arrival” | The decision should be made before a non-refundable payment. |
| “The public-college logo is enough” | Partner delivery can change eligibility. |
| “No need to match the campus” | DLI entries and delivery locations can differ. |
| “The programme title proves the eligible field” | Field eligibility depends on the official classification code. |
| “A PGWP is guaranteed for three years” | Permit outcome and length depend on the rules, programme and applicant circumstances. |
Complete the Canada Decision Before You Pay
After verifying the programme, calculate the full cost, confirm funding and map the study-permit timeline.
Final Canada DLI and PGWP Checklist
Official Sources Used
| Official source | Used for |
|---|---|
| Government of Canada DLI list | DLI status, DLI number, campus, institution type, PGWP and graduate-program indicators |
| IRCC PGWP eligibility | General, language, field-of-study, full-time, distance-learning and application rules |
| University of Waterloo MDSAI | Exact programme credential, length, delivery mode, registration and application details |
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a DLI automatically make every programme PGWP eligible?
No. IRCC explicitly states that not every programme offered by a DLI is eligible. Verify the exact programme and credential.
What is the University of Waterloo DLI number?
The official DLI list currently records the University of Waterloo under DLI number O19305471522. Match the exact campus and offer details before using it.
Do master’s graduates need an eligible field of study for PGWP?
Under the current rules, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree graduates do not have a PGWP field-of-study requirement, but they must meet the language and general eligibility requirements.
Does a public master’s programme require a PAL or TAL?
Applicants applying after January 1, 2026 to qualifying degree-granting master’s or doctoral programmes at public DLIs listed by IRCC do not need a PAL or TAL. Other documents remain required.
Can an institution guarantee my PGWP?
No. An institution can explain programme information, but the final decision depends on IRCC rules and whether the student satisfies all eligibility conditions.
When should I verify PGWP eligibility?
Verify before applying, before paying a deposit, before starting the programme and again before making a programme or campus change.