Canada ends fast-track visa program for international students, Indian students likely to have the biggest impact
Canada has recently implemented a popular fast-track study visa program, SDS, a major policy decision that could have an impact on international students, including those from India.
The processing time for students applying under the Student Direct Stream (SDS) was very short and approval rates high, something that will change after Canada ends the program on Friday.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in September announced X: “We are giving 35 percent fewer permits to international students this year.” And next year, that number drops by another ten percent.” “Immigration is good for our economy — but when bad actors abuse the system and help students, we’re reducing it,” he added in the post as the Canadian government said it was looking to reduce the number of temporary residents.
The move comes amid an ongoing dispute between India and Canada.
According to the Indian High Commission here, India is the largest country of foreign students with an estimated 4,27,000 Indian students studying in Canada.
“Canada is committed to providing all international students with equal and fair access to the study permit application process,” Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said in a statement on Friday.
Canada’s mission is to “strengthen program integrity, address student vulnerability, and provide all students with equal and fair access to the application process, and a positive educational experience,” the statement said.
The SDS was launched in 2018 to provide expedited processing for eligible post-secondary students, he said, adding, it was eventually opened to legal residents of Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru. , Philippines, Senegal, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vietnam.
There was a similar Nigeria Student Express (NSE) for university students from Nigeria; has also ended along with SDS, the statement said, adding that the SDS and NSE programs ended on Friday.
IRCC has given a deadline of 2:00 pm ET on Friday (00:30 IST Saturday), and said that all eligible SDS and NSE applications received before will be processed under this stream.
However, IRCC said prospective students can still apply through regular study permits, where Guaranteed Investment Certificates are accepted as proof of financial support.
According to the news portal immigrationnewscanada.Ca, SDS was introduced with the goal of simplifying and speeding up the processing of study permits for students from certain countries. The streamlined process has allowed eligible applicants from countries like India, China and the Philippines to enter Canada quickly, often within a few weeks, rather than waiting for the usual processing time, which can take several months, it added.
Another site, moving2canada.com, explains, “The year 2024 has been a turbulent year for students who want to study in Canada, with a significant reduction in the number of international students that Canada will accept each year. On the contrary, many say that the acceleration of SDS and NSE applications is a way to accept as many students as possible.” Under SDS, applications from Indian students were processed within 20 business days and now it can take up to eight weeks, the website said.
Not just for international students, Canada is also backing away from its previous stance of accepting immigration, especially for low-skilled workers, including large numbers from India.
On October 24, Immigration Minister Marc Miller outlined the latest immigration strategy that says Canada will welcome about 3,95,000 permanent residents by 2025, marking a nearly 20 percent drop from the 4,85,000 expected this year.
The plan also targets temporary immigrants, including international students and foreign workers. Their numbers are expected to drop to around 4,46,000 in 2025 and 2026, down from around 8,00,000 this year.
By 2027, Canada will welcome just 17,400 new permanent residents, the new policy suggests.
