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On June 27, 2023, The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada, Honorable Sean Fraser, announced a new short-term policy that lifts the restriction on how long temporary foreign employees can engage in academic programs without a study permit.
What Was The Situation Before Now?
Until recently, temporary foreign workers could only enroll in programs lasting six months or less while working, and they had to apply for a separate study permit for programs that lasted longer. For those who want to advance their education and acquire more training, especially those who need to upskill or validate their international credentials through specific programs, this has been a barrier.
“Temporary foreign workers are incredibly important for the Canadian economy, and many have aspirations that go far beyond the work that initially brings them to Canada,” said Fraser.
“With this policy in place, we hope to empower foreign nationals to improve their skills in order to meet their career goals and achieve their dreams, while providing a future potential source of talent for our labor market.”
What Happens Now?
Starting immediately, Foreign workers will have the chance to pursue extra education and training that will benefit them in their professions.
With this new temporary provision in place for three years, international workers are free to enroll in full- or part-time studies for as long as their work permits are in effect or until the policy expires.
The Minister expects that by lowering obstacles to skill development, Canada will further widen its doors to medical professionals with training from abroad and strengthen our healthcare system.
Who Is Eligible?
You may be eligible to study without a study permit while you work. This temporary measure is applicable to persons who are authorized to work in Canada with either of the following:
- a valid work permit that was issued on or before June 7, 2023, or
- a letter authorizing you to work while we process your work permit extension application
- The letter must have been issued on or before June 7, 2023.
Foreign workers who want to continue their education past the end of their work permit must still apply for a study permit.
More information on this new policy and eligibility can be found on the IRCC’s webpage.
How To Apply?
Do you want to learn more about how to benefit from this new policy? We are here to help you! To learn more, please visit crestimmigration.ca or contact David Akinmoluwa on WhatsApp at +1(587)-974-8942 or info@crestimmigration.ca.
