Canada vs Australia for Pakistani students: study visa compared

It depends on your budget, family plans and English score. Choose Canada if you want up to 3 years of post graduation work, your spouse with you on a longer master's, and no English test at the study visa stage. Choose Australia if your parents can prove taxable income instead of holding savings, you want a February or July start, and your university is in a fast processing group.

This article is general information, not immigration advice. Via Nova gives personalised Canadian immigration advice only through its licensed RCIC partner, a regulated Canadian immigration consultant.

How do the Canada and Australia study visas compare in 2026?

Figures come from IRCC, the Australian Department of Home Affairs, Statistics Canada and university fee pages listed under Sources, checked in October 2026. Each institution sets its own tuition, so the first row gives named examples.

Both countries manage numbers. IRCC planned up to 408,000 study permits for 2026, including 155,000 for new arrivals, and most students need a provincial attestation letter (PAL) from their institution, though master's and doctoral students at public institutions have been exempt since 1 January 2026. Australia set a National Planning Level of 295,000 new overseas students for 2026 and kept it for 2027. Home Affairs says its processing priorities are not a visa cap and do not decide the outcome.

Choose Canada if

• You want the longest work permit after a master's. A master's of at least 8 months can lead to a 3 year post graduation work permit, against 2 years on the Australian 485 after a coursework master's.
• You are married and choosing a long master's. A programme of 16 months or longer lets your spouse apply for an open work permit. Australia stopped most family applications on 2 October 2026.
• You do not have a test score yet. IRCC sets no test for the study permit, and many Canadian colleges accept Duolingo. You will need an approved test later for the work permit.
• Your budget is tight on living funds. CAD 23,448 is about Rs 4.55 million at the State Bank of Pakistan rate on 13 October 2026, while AUD 29,710 is roughly Rs 5.7 million at mid October rates.

Our Canada study permit guide covers PAL exemptions and refusal reasons, and our guide to Express Entry from Pakistan explains the PR side.

Choose Australia if

• Your parents are salaried or file tax returns. Australia accepts official tax assessments showing AUD 87,856 of income instead of a large savings balance.
• You want a February or July start. Two main intakes give you a second chance in the same year.
• Your university is in Priority 1. Check the Home Affairs Visa Prioritisation Status page before you lodge, because your group is fixed on that day.
• You are open about long term plans. Home Affairs says a future intention to apply for permanent residence does not count against you under the Genuine Student requirement.
• You are aiming for a points tested PR visa. An Australian degree can add points, as our Australia PR points calculator shows.

Read our Australia student visa guide for the CoE, Genuine Student answers, OSHC and health checks.

What mistakes do Pakistani students make when choosing a study visa country?

1. Believing one country gives more work hours. 24 hours a week and 48 hours a fortnight are the same average. Home Affairs says you should not rely on work to support yourself, and neither country counts expected wages as proof of funds.
2. Showing a one day balance. Home Affairs says a single day bank certificate does not show how funds grew, and the Islamabad visa office asks for 12 months of statements with any large deposit explained.
3. Assuming family can follow later. In Australia, family members cannot join as subsequent entrants under the new rules. In Canada, a one year programme does not give your spouse an open work permit.
4. Booking the wrong English test. Australia does not accept fully online tests, and Duolingo is not on its list. A Canadian college may accept Duolingo for admission, but not for a work permit.
5. Forgetting the age limit. You must be 35 or under when you apply for the 485, unless you use a research master's or PhD. A 34 year old starting a two year master's should check this first.
6. Treating PR as the main reason. IRCC must be satisfied you will leave when your permit ends, and Home Affairs wants studying to be your main purpose. Write your plan around the course.

Not sure where you stand?

Send your grades, English score, budget in rupees and target programme to a Via Nova counsellor on WhatsApp at +92 316 4448062. You will get an honest view of whether Canada or Australia suits your profile, and what your file needs first, through our study visa service. For Canada, personalised immigration advice is given through Via Nova's licensed RCIC partner, a regulated Canadian immigration consultant. Only IRCC or Home Affairs decides your visa.