The Government of Canada has officially ended its Student Direct Stream (SDS), a programme widely used by Indian students and others for expedited study permit processing.
As of today, students from India and 13 other countries who previously benefited from the faster application handling through the SDS will now need to apply through Canada’s regular study permit system, reported the Times of India.
Launched in 2018, the SDS was designed to provide a quicker route for students from India, China, Pakistan, the Philippines, Vietnam, and several other countries seeking post-secondary education in Canada. The programme helped streamline the permit process for thousands of international students annually, with Indian students being among the largest beneficiaries.
The Canadian government has stated that the decision to discontinue the SDS is intended to "support equal opportunities for all students" and eliminate fast-track processing based on nationality.
This move is framed as part of Canada's efforts to "strengthen program integrity, address student vulnerability, and ensure fair access to the application process" for all applicants, providing a more equitable academic experience.
In addition to the SDS changes, the Nigerian Student Express (NSE) programme has also been discontinued, affecting Nigerian applicants in a similar way, added TOI.
Students who submitted their applications before the program’s cutoff at 2.00 pm ET (Eastern Time) on November 8 will still be processed under the previous SDS or NSE rules.
However, future applicants will need to go through the regular study permit process, which continues to allow the use of a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) for proof of funds but does not guarantee expedited processing.
