A new IRCC temporary policy, effective September 4, 2026, lets work permit holders take study programs of six months or less without a study permit — even if the program runs past their authorized stay. In effect until December 31, 2027.
If you hold a Canadian work permit and want to take a short course, you no longer have to time it to finish before your authorized stay ends. On September 9, 2026, IRCC published a new temporary policy — effective retroactively from September 4, 2026 — that lets work permit holders study programs of six months or less without a separate study permit, even if the course runs past the period of stay they were originally authorized for.
Normally, a foreign national in Canada can study a program of six months or less without a study permit, but only under IRPR 188(1)(c) — and only if the program finishes before the end of the stay they were authorized when they entered the country. Miss that window and you technically need a study permit, even for a short course.
The new policy removes that constraint for work permit holders. To qualify, you need:
- A valid work permit.
- A study program six months or less in duration.
That's it. The program no longer has to fit inside your original authorized stay — as long as your work permit itself is valid, you can study without applying for a separate study permit. The policy is set to run until December 31, 2027, and like any temporary public policy, IRCC can revoke it at any time without notice.
This is not a renewal of the policy that expired on June 27, 2026 — it's a narrower successor with different eligibility rules. Here's the comparison:
| Policy that expired June 27, 2026 | New policy (Sept 4, 2026 – Dec 31, 2027) |
|---|
| Who qualified | Anyone who applied for a work permit (or extension) on or before June 7, 2023 | Anyone with a currently valid work permit |
| Needed a valid work permit right now? | No — maintained status counted | Yes, a valid permit is required |
| Length of study allowed | Full-time or part-time, no length limit | Six months or less |
| Timing constraint | None while the policy was active | None — can extend past your authorized stay |
The old policy was broader in duration (no cap on program length) but restricted to a shrinking pool of workers tied to a 2023 cutoff date. The new policy is open to any current work permit holder, but only for shorter programs.
If you hold a valid work permit and want to take a course of six months or less: you can enrol without applying for a separate study permit, and you don't need to worry about your program outlasting the stay period stamped on your entry — as long as your work permit stays valid throughout.
If your program runs longer than six months: this policy doesn't cover you. You still need a study permit for anything longer, following the standard process — see our study permit guide.
If you're between work permits, or your permit has expired: you don't qualify. The valid-permit requirement is stricter than the previous policy, which allowed maintained status to count.
On PGWP and Canadian Experience Class eligibility: IRCC's September 9 notice doesn't specify whether studies completed under this new policy count toward a Post-Graduation Work Permit or Canadian Experience Class (CEC) work-experience requirements. The predecessor policy explicitly excluded studies completed under it from PGWP eligibility. Given a six-month program is unlikely to be PGWP-eligible on its own regardless, this is a lower-stakes question than it was under the old policy — but if you're weighing this route against a full study permit for PGWP purposes, confirm directly with IRCC or a licensed RCIC before you enrol. We couldn't verify this detail from IRCC's current guidance and aren't going to guess.
Tip
This policy is genuinely useful for one narrow case: a work permit holder who wants a short, non-credit or certificate-style course (a safety certification, a language class, a professional development program) without the delay and cost of a full study permit application. It's not a shortcut into a PGWP-eligible diploma — for that, you still need a proper study permit from day one.
Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute immigration advice. Always verify information with official IRCC sources and consult a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or licensed immigration lawyer for advice specific to your situation.