Canada Student Direct Stream, Student Direct Stream Canada Visa Program, Canada Study Permit, Canada Fast Track Student Visa: With election in Canada due next year, Justin Trudeau's government continues to crackdown on the country's immigration policy. Canadian PM Justin Trudeau who is slammed for rising housing taxes, unemployment, and inflation, his government has started to slash visas and permits given to foreign workers and students. Trudeau's government's change in immigration stance can attributed to the aforementioned factors. In the meanwhile, on Friday, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced that it is no longer accepting study permit applications submitted under the Student Direct Stream (SDS). IRCC announced that going forward, all study permit applications will be submitted using the standard application process. Now, the question arises what is Canada's Student Direct Stream, and how does it impact Indian students?
What is Student Direct Stream?
Student Direct Stream (SDS) is a visa program that was implemented in 2018 by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to expedite study permit applications for international students from 14 countries, including Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, and Vietnam. The government of Canada stated that on its website that the initiative is being discontinued to "strengthen program integrity, address student vulnerability, and give all students equal and fair access to the application process."
To quality under the SDS program, foreign students were required to meet multple criteria including obtaining a Canadian Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) worth $20,635 CAD and providing English or French language test scores. The program significantly reduced the waiting time for study permits, allowing successful candidates to receive their visas within weeks, compared to an average processing time of eight weeks for Indian applicants applying through the regular route.
How it will impact Indian students?
Since Canada is one of the most preferred study destinations for Indian, it will largely impact. The abrupt ending of SDS meaning students from India and 13 other countries will have to undergo more lengthy visa processes. As a result, international students now face longer wait times and heightened eligibility standards. As per Business Today, Canada has rapidly changed its immigration policy in 2024. Under this policy change, the Trudeau government has set a maximum of 437,000 new study permits for 2025, which will encompass all levels of education, including postgraduate programs.