If you already have a study permit and your study situation changes (for example, you want to study for more than 6 months or apply to a longer study program) you can continue studying in Canada while your permit is valid. If you need to extend your permit, or it expires while we process your application for an extension, you’ll also be able to continue studying because you have implied status.
However, if you don’t have a study permit already, you would need to stop studying or wait until you get a study permit to start or continue your studies.
An example of this is if you’re taking prerequisite classes required for a longer study program. You may not need a study permit for your prerequisite classes, but you may need one for your full study program.
In this case, you should get a study permit even though you don’t need one right away. If you don’t, you may not be able to start your longer study program, depending on whether or not your study permit is processed in time.