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You can definitely study in Canada on a visitor visa. But there’s a catch. You can only study a standalone course that’s six months or less, and you have to finish it before your authorized stay in Canada ends. If you’re planning to study for longer than six months, you’ll need a study permit.
Last updated: November 2026
Well studying in Canada without a study permit is definitely possible, but you should know that there’s a catch. And the catch is that your course must be six months or less. Why you may ask? Well this is because Canada allows it under what’s called the short-term study exemption.
This rule is actually set by IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada), the department responsible for handling immigration, visas, and permits in Canada. You’ll find it under section 188(1)(c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR).
Here’s what you’re allowed to do under this rule:
For example, let’s say you sign up for a four-month English language course. That’s completely fine, as long as you finish the course before your authorized stay in Canada ends.
Even if you extend your visitor stay, you don’t get an extra time to complete your course under the six-month exemption.
In simple words, you’ll have to complete your course before your originally authorized stay in Canada ends. So even if you apply for an extension later, you still have to finish your course within the time you were originally allowed to stay in Canada.
There’s actually a court case that supports this rule too. In Zhang v. Canada (Citizenship and Immigration), 2016 FC 964, a visitor enrolled in a 14-week English course while her stay in Canada was still valid. But here’s the problem. Her course continued beyond the date she was originally allowed to stay.
She then applied to extend her stay. But in the end, the Federal Court still upheld the decision that her studies were unauthorized. That is because the course didn’t finish within her original stay.
And here’s something else you should know. If you take multiple courses back to back, IRCC may consider them part of one longer program. If that happens, you might no longer qualify for the six-month exemption. Just make sure each course is a standalone one, and that you finish all of them before your authorized stay ends.
Yes. If you’re planning to study in Canada for more than six months, you’ll need a study permit. The same goes for shorter courses that are part of a longer program.
Usually, no. Visitors generally have to apply for a study permit from outside Canada.
If your application gets approved, you’ll receive a Letter of Introduction. You’ll usually collect your actual study permit when you arrive at a Canadian port of entry. But keep in mind that having a Letter of Introduction doesn’t guarantee entry into Canada.
However, there are some exceptions.
One of the main exceptions is for students taking a prerequisite course. Basically, this is a course that a designated learning institution (DLI) asks you to complete before admitting you into its main program.
If you’re applying under this exception, you’ll need:
There are a few other exceptions too, including visiting students, exchange students, and some minors.
Well you might run into some problems if you start studying in Canada without the required permission.
This is because under section 221 of the IRPR, IRCC generally cannot issue you a study permit until six months have passed since your unauthorized studies ended.
But there may be some exceptions, but you shouldn’t rely on them. This could delay your plans to study in Canada and affect your future study permit application.
Before you sign up for a course, there are a few more things you should know.
Still confused about which document you need? Check out this simple breakdown to help you understand better:
| Your plan | What you need |
| Standalone course of six months or less, completed within your authorized stay | Visitor visa or eTA only |
| Course longer than six months or part of a longer program | Study permit, generally applied for from outside Canada |
| Short course now, longer program later | Consider applying for a study permit before travelling |
Yes, you can! But your course must be six months or less, must be a standalone course, and must finish before your authorized stay in Canada ends.
Usually, no. Most visitors have to apply for a study permit from outside Canada. However, students taking prerequisite courses may qualify for an exception.
No. A visitor visa or eTA doesn’t give you permission to work in Canada. You’ll need the appropriate work authorization if you want to work.
Yes, you can! Under section 188(2) of the IRPR, you can apply for a study permit before entering Canada, even if your course is six months or less.
One small mistake with your course dates could cause problems with a future study permit application. So before you book your flight or enrol in a course, book a consultation with us. We can help you check your study plans and understand what you need before travelling to Canada.
Here’s how you can get started:
