Can You Study on a Work Permit in Canada? What IRCC’s New 2026 Policy Allows
If you are working in Canada and want to take a course, the first question is usually whether you can study on a work permit in Canada or whether you need to apply for a study permit first. As of September 4, 2026, the answer got a lot simpler for many workers.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced a temporary public policy that allows anyone holding a valid work permit to take a course or program of six months or less without a study permit. It runs until December 31, 2027, unless IRCC revokes it earlier.
The headline is good news. The details are where people get caught, especially anyone counting on their Canadian work experience for permanent residence.
Working in Canada and weighing a course alongside your job? Book a Work Permit consultation with our licensed team before you enrol.
What changed on September 4, 2026
The policy was signed on August 5, 2026 under section 25.2 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and took effect 30 days later. It has a single eligibility condition: you hold a valid work permit.
Canada has long allowed foreign nationals to take a short course of six months or less without a study permit. That permission sits in paragraph 188(1)(c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), and it comes with a catch: the course has to be completed within the period of stay you were authorized for when you entered Canada. The new policy removes that catch for work permit holders.
| Standard short course rule | 2023 to 2026 policy (expired) | New policy |
Who | Any foreign national | Workers whose permit or renewal application was received by June 7, 2023 | Anyone holding a valid work permit |
Program length | Six months or less | Any length, full or part time | Six months or less |
Timing condition | Must finish within the stay authorized on entry | Until the work permit expired | Until the work permit expires, entry condition waived |
In force | Permanent regulation, IRPR 188(1)(c) | June 27, 2023 to June 27, 2026 | September 4, 2026 to December 31, 2027 |
The six month cap is the key contrast with the policy that just ended. From June 27, 2023 to June 27, 2026, a separate temporary policy let certain workers study full time or part time in programs of any length, but only if their work permit application had been received by June 7, 2023. That policy has expired. The new one opens the door to every valid work permit holder, but only for short programs.
Why the “period of stay” condition mattered
The old condition sounds technical, but it quietly shaped who could actually use the short course exemption. The period of stay authorized on entry is tied to when you arrived, not to the permit you hold today. For a worker who landed years ago and has since extended or changed permits from inside Canada, lining a course up against that original window was awkward at best.
The new policy ties your study authorization to something far easier to check: your current work permit. Your permission to study lasts for the course, up to six months, or until your work permit expires, whichever comes first.
That last part deserves attention. If your work permit expires in March and your course ends in May, the policy does not carry you to May. Check the two dates side by side before you pay tuition.
The detail most coverage misses: full time study and your PR timeline
Most early coverage stops at “no study permit needed.” For anyone building toward permanent residence, the more important line sits in IRCC’s own guidance on this policy: if you study full time, the work experience you gain during that period will not count toward Canadian Experience Class (CEC) eligibility or toward Canadian work experience points under the Express Entry Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS).
This follows the long standing CEC rule that work experience gained while you were a full time student does not count, even on a co-op term. In practical terms, a six month full time course taken while you keep working could mean six months of work that does not move you toward the one year of skilled Canadian experience CEC requires, or toward a higher CRS score.
IRCC’s guidance attaches that consequence to full time study, not part time. Your school generally decides whether a course load counts as full time, so confirm the classification in writing before you enrol, and look honestly at where you are in your CEC timeline. For some workers the right course is still the right course. For others, a part time schedule or waiting a few months protects a PR application that is almost ready.
Close to your one year of Canadian work experience? Talk it through in an In-Canada PR Consult before you commit to a full time course.
What this means for you
If you hold an employer-specific work permit
According to IRCC, any condition on your work permit that relates to studying does not apply to studies under this policy. Your job conditions still do. Your permit names your employer and occupation, and fitting classes around your hours is a conversation to have with your employer. If your course includes a co-op or placement with a different employer or in a different occupation, you need a new employer-specific work permit for it.
If you hold an open work permit
Open work permit holders, including Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders and spouses on open work permits, qualify in their own right because they hold a valid work permit. You do not need a new permit for a co-op placement. The CEC point above applies to you most, because many open work permit holders are the ones counting months toward permanent residence.
If you work in Quebec
As of September 4, 2026, workers in Quebec do not need a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) to study under this policy.
If you are waiting on a work permit extension
The policy is written for people who hold a valid work permit. The 2023 policy expressly covered people who had applied to renew their permit; the new policy text does not. If your permit has expired and you are working on maintained status while an extension is processed, get advice on your situation before you enrol. A Work Permit consultation covers in-country extensions.
If you want a longer program
Anything longer than six months still needs a study permit. A course of six months or less also will not lead to a PGWP, which requires a program of at least eight months (900 hours in Quebec) at an eligible institution. If a longer credential is part of your plan, start with an In-Canada Study Permit Consult.
If you are an employer
This is a practical tool for upskilling foreign workers you already employ, particularly where a short course leads to a licence or credential the role needs. It does not change the conditions of an employer-specific work permit or a position supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). For hiring and compliance questions, book an Employers: LMIA consultation.
What to do before you enrol
1. Put your work permit expiry date next to your course end date. If the permit ends first, so does your permission to study.
2. Ask your school, in writing, whether the course is full time or part time.
3. If you are counting months toward CEC, work out what a full time course would do to your timeline.
4. Read the conditions printed on your work permit and agree your schedule with your employer.
5. If the course has a co-op or placement, confirm your permit covers that employer and occupation.
6. Keep a copy of your valid work permit ready. Your school can ask to see it.
What to take from this
This is a short course policy, not a study permit replacement. Six months is the ceiling. Anything longer is a study permit application, with everything that comes with it.
Your work permit sets the clock. Your permission to study ends when your permit does, whatever your school’s calendar says.
Full time study has a PR cost. For CEC candidates, the course load matters as much as the course itself.
Maintained status is a grey zone. The policy speaks to valid work permits. If yours has expired while you wait on an extension, get advice first.
The window is temporary. The policy ends December 31, 2027 and can be revoked earlier without notice. If a course fits your plans, plan it while the door is open.
Plan the course and the immigration file together
A short course can be a smart move for your career and your immigration file, as long as the two are planned together. The workers who run into trouble are rarely the ones who took the wrong course. They are the ones who did not check what the course did to their permit dates or their PR timeline.
If you are weighing a course alongside a PR application, a work permit extension or a longer study plan, book a consultation with our licensed team first. Bring your work permit and the course details.
Frequently asked questions
Can I study in Canada on a work permit without a study permit?
Yes, if you hold a valid work permit and the course or program is six months or less. A temporary IRCC public policy in effect from September 4, 2026 allows this. Programs longer than six months still require a study permit, and all other admissibility requirements continue to apply.
How long can I study on a work permit without a study permit?
Up to six months, or until your work permit expires, whichever comes first. If your permit ends before your course does, your permission to study under this policy ends with it. Compare your permit expiry date with your course end date before you enrol.
Does studying full time affect my Canadian Experience Class eligibility?
It can. IRCC says work experience gained while studying full time under this policy will not count toward Canadian Experience Class eligibility or Canadian work experience points in the Comprehensive Ranking System. If you are close to one year of skilled experience, consider part time study or get advice first.
Do I need a CAQ to study on a work permit in Quebec?
No. As of September 4, 2026, workers in Quebec do not need a Quebec Acceptance Certificate to study under this temporary public policy. The course must still be six months or less, and you must hold a valid work permit while you study.
Can I get a PGWP after a course I took on my work permit?
No. A Post-Graduation Work Permit requires a program of at least eight months, or 900 hours in Quebec, at an eligible designated learning institution. Courses of six months or less taken under this policy are too short to qualify. A longer credential requires a study permit.
Can I study on maintained status while my work permit extension is processing?
The policy text covers people who hold a valid work permit, and unlike the 2023 policy it does not expressly include renewal applicants. If your permit has expired and you are working on maintained status, get advice from a licensed representative before enrolling in any course.
When does the new study without a study permit policy end?
The policy expires on December 31, 2027. IRCC can revoke it at any time without prior notice, so it may end sooner. Studies must also stop when your work permit expires, even if the policy is still in force at that point.
This article is general information about Canadian immigration and is not legal advice. Every file turns on its own facts, outcomes vary and no result is guaranteed. Immigration rules change frequently, so confirm current requirements before acting. To discuss your own situation, contact our licensed team.
InfoPlace Canada is an RCIC-licensed immigration consulting firm. Contact our licensed team about work permit extensions, study permits and in-Canada PR planning.
infoplacecanada.ca | (519) 900-0199 | ask@InfoPlaceCanada.ca
