The June 27, 2026 Deadline: Work Permit Holders Who Study Without a Study Permit

If you've been working in Canada and studying on the side without a separate study permit, an important deadline is coming up fast. A temporary IRCC public policy that has allowed certain work permit holders to study without a study permit is set to expire on June 27, 2026. After that date, the exemption no longer applies, and anyone who wants to keep studying will generally need a valid study permit.

Here's a plain-language look at what the policy did, who it covers, and the steps worth taking before the deadline.

What the policy allowed

Normally, a foreign national needs a study permit to enrol in a program of study longer than six months. Back on June 27, 2023, IRCC introduced a temporary public policy that lifted that requirement for a specific group: people already working in Canada on a work permit could study full time or part time without a separate study permit, removing the old limit that capped permit-free study at programs of six months or less.

The idea was to let workers upgrade their skills or finish a credential while their work permit was valid, without the cost and processing wait of a separate study permit application.

Who this actually covers

This is where many people get tripped up. The policy was not open to every work permit holder. According to IRCC, to rely on it you generally had to:

• Hold a valid work permit for which the application was **received by IRCC on

or before June 7, 2023**; or

• Have submitted a work permit renewal on or before June 7, 2023 and be

authorized to work while you wait (under paragraph 186(u) of the regulations).

In other words, this was a closed group tied to a specific cut-off date in 2023. It was never a general rule that "work permit holders can always study without a study permit," and it's important not to confuse it with the separate, ongoing rules that let people study during certain permit transitions.

When the exemption ends for you

Even before June 27, 2026, the exemption ends for an individual at the earliest of these events:

1. The work permit application is refused;
2. The work permit (or the permit it depends on) expires; or
3. The policy itself expires on June 27, 2026 — or is revoked sooner.

So if your work permit runs out before June 27, the exemption stops then. If your permit is still valid past that date, the policy expiry is the hard stop.

A few cautions worth knowing

• It doesn't create new immigration outcomes by itself. Studying under this

policy was a convenience — it did not, on its own, make you eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, and time spent studying full time isn't the same as Canadian work experience for programs like the Canadian Experience Class. If your plan depends on a PGWP or counting work experience, confirm the rules carefully before relying on study done this way.

• A study permit is a different application. If you want to continue or start a

program after June 27, you'll generally need to apply for a study permit in the normal way, which can include showing acceptance to a designated learning institution and, in many cases, a provincial or territorial attestation letter.

• Plan around processing time. Study permit processing isn't instant. If your

program continues past the deadline, it's wise to look into your options well before late June rather than the week of.

What to do before the deadline

1. Check your dates. Find out when your work permit expires and whether your

underlying application qualified under the June 7, 2023 cut-off.

1. Map your program. If your studies finish before June 27, 2026, you may be

fine. If they continue past it, plan for a study permit.

1. Don't assume continuity. Letting the exemption lapse without a study permit

in place could mean studying without authorization — something to avoid.

The safest move is to treat June 27, 2026 as a firm planning date and confirm your own situation against the official policy, which sets out the exact eligibility and end conditions.

You can read IRCC's own description of the measure here: Public policy allowing some work permit holders to study without a study permit.

If you're unsure whether this policy applied to you, or what you need to keep studying after the deadline, we're happy to help you sort out the timing and your options. This article is general information, not legal advice — your own situation depends on your specific facts and the rules in force when you apply.

This post is general information about Canadian immigration and Ontario paralegal matters and is not legal advice. Rules change and every case is different — confirm current requirements for your own situation.