A temporary IRCC policy that's let thousands of foreign workers take classes in Canada without applying for a study permit ends on June 27, 2026 — 25 days from today. If you've been studying under this exemption, the clock has started on the most important decision you'll make about your status this year: apply for a study permit, stop studying, or finish before the date.
What's expiring
On June 27, 2023, IRCC introduced a temporary public policy that lets eligible work permit holders study at any school in Canada — full-time or part-time, no length limit, no separate permit — while continuing to work. It replaced the older rule that capped permit-free study at six months.
That policy expires on June 27, 2026. After that date, anyone studying under the exemption needs a valid study permit to keep studying legally.
Who is actually affected
The policy is narrower than most people think. To be eligible at all, you had to meet both of these conditions:
- Hold a valid work permit you applied for on or before June 7, 2023, or have a work permit extension application submitted on or before that same date.
- Continue to hold valid work authorization in Canada now.
If you applied for your first work permit, or any work permit extension, after June 7, 2023, you were never eligible under this policy. You shouldn't be studying without a study permit now, and the expiry doesn't change anything for you.
If you do qualify, the cutoff is the earliest of:
- Your current work permit expiry date.
- The date IRCC refuses your work permit extension (if one is pending).
- June 27, 2026 — when the policy itself dies.
For most eligible workers whose permits run past June 27, the policy expiry will be the binding date.
Your three options before June 27
Option 1: Finish the program before June 27
The cleanest exit. If your courses end on or before June 27, you can finish under the policy and walk away. No study permit needed. Make sure your final exam, thesis defence, or completion date is documented and falls inside the window.
Option 2: Apply for a study permit now
If your program runs past June 27, you need a study permit. The application takes time, and IRCC processing times for in-Canada study permits are sitting at roughly 8 weeks as of the May 2026 processing snapshot. That's longer than you have left.
You can apply now and rely on maintained status while your application is in process — but only if you apply before your authorization to study ends on June 27. Submit late and you'll be out of study status the moment your continued enrolment crosses the expiry date.
To apply for an in-Canada study permit, you'll need:
- A letter of acceptance from a designated learning institution (DLI).
- Proof of funds: tuition for the first year plus living expenses ($20,635 for a single applicant outside Quebec for 2026, more for dependants).
- A provincial attestation letter (PAL) for most undergraduate and college programs (Master's and PhD programs at public universities are exempt from the cap as of 2026 — see our study permit cap guide).
- The application fee: $150.
Option 3: Stop studying on June 27
If a study permit isn't realistic — costs too much, no PAL available, program isn't PGWP-eligible — your work permit remains valid for work. You just can't continue your studies after June 27 without separate authorization. Talk to your school about pausing enrolment or withdrawing.
The PGWP trap nobody warns workers about
Here's the part that catches people every year: studies completed under this policy do not make you eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit.
IRCC has been explicit about this since the policy launched. PGWP eligibility requires you to have held a valid study permit throughout your program. Studying under the work permit exemption — even at a PGWP-eligible DLI, even in a PGWP-eligible field — does not satisfy that requirement.
If you've been studying under the policy and you were planning to apply for a PGWP after graduation, you need to either:
- Apply for a study permit before completing your program, so the final stretch of your studies is permit-authorized (this still won't fix the earlier portion in most interpretations — confirm with a licensed RCIC).
- Accept that you won't qualify for a PGWP and plan your next move accordingly.
The same trap applies to Canadian Experience Class eligibility. Any time you spent in full-time studies under this policy does not count as Canadian work experience for CEC, and you don't earn Canadian work experience CRS points for it either.
What does count: if you studied full-time at a DLI under this policy, those studies still count for Federal Skilled Worker adaptability points and for the education-related CRS points under Express Entry — provided the DLI offers PGWP-eligible programs. So the credential itself is recognized; it's just the work-history pathway that's broken.
What workers in Quebec need to know
The temporary policy also exempted eligible workers in Quebec from the CAQ for studies requirement under the same June 27, 2026 sunset. After that date, workers in Quebec who continue studying need both a federal study permit and a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) issued by MIFI.
CAQ processing for studies is typically 25 days but can stretch longer depending on the program type. Build it into your timeline — you need the CAQ before IRCC will finalize the study permit.
The 25-day action plan
If you're studying under this policy right now, here's what to do this week, this month, and before June 27:
This week:
- Confirm your eligibility under the policy by checking the date on your original work permit application (must be on or before June 7, 2023). If it's after that date, you've been studying without authorization — talk to a licensed RCIC immediately.
- Pull together your school's letter of acceptance, transcripts, and proof you're currently enrolled.
- Calculate your end date. If your program finishes before June 27, you're in the clear — just keep documentation.
This month (before June 27):
- If your program continues past June 27, submit your study permit application now. The 8-week processing time means you need to be filed by early June at the absolute latest to keep maintained status working in your favour.
- For programs in Quebec, file the CAQ for studies application in parallel.
- Pay the $150 fee and upload all required documents in your IRCC online account.
After June 27 (if you're continuing without a study permit):
- Don't. If your studies extend past June 27 and you don't hold a study permit, you'll be out of status as a student. That can affect future temporary residence applications, PR applications, and your work permit conditions.
The hidden cost of this policy is the PGWP gap. If you used the policy to complete a one- or two-year program at a Canadian college, you have a credential that earns CRS points and FSW adaptability points — but no PGWP to give you the Canadian work experience that's worth up to 80 CRS points and unlocks CEC. The strategy fix is to look at provincial nominee program streams that recognize your credential without requiring Canadian work experience. BC PNP's International Post-Graduate stream, Manitoba's Skilled Worker Overseas stream, and Ontario's Master's Graduate stream (under the new OINP framework) have all historically nominated candidates without requiring PGWP-derived experience. The credential itself is still your asset — you just need the right program to use it.
What this means for the PR pathway
For thousands of workers who came to Canada on a 2022 or early-2023 work permit and used these three years to add a Canadian credential, the June 27 expiry is a forced choice point. The strategy that actually worked for the previous group — work full-time, study part-time on the side, graduate with a Canadian diploma, apply for PGWP, ladder into CEC — was never available to anyone who studied under this policy. The PGWP gap was always there, just not enforced until graduation.
If you're in this group, the right move depends on where you are in your timeline:
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Six months from graduation: Apply for a study permit now. Cover the last stretch of your program with proper authorization, then apply for the PGWP under the standard rules. There's still some interpretation risk on whether the earlier policy-period studies disqualify you — confirm with a licensed RCIC before banking on this.
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More than six months from graduation: A study permit is the only way to preserve PGWP eligibility. Apply now and accept that the next 6–12 months are a transition.
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Already graduated: PGWP is closed to you. Look at PNP streams that recognize Canadian credentials without PGWP work experience, or pivot to Express Entry through language gains, provincial nomination, or the French-language pathway (where May 2026 cutoffs ran 100+ points below CEC).
Sources
- IRCC: Public policy allowing some work permit holders to study without a study permit
- IRCC: Temporary public policy original instrument
- Immigration News Canada — June 2026 changes summary