Canada on Friday discontinued its Student Direct Stream (SDS) visa program for international students, amid a push by the country to cope with its housing and resource crisis.
The official website states, “Canada is committed to giving all international students equal and fair access to the application process for study permits.” This implies that all applications received till 2:00 pm ET on November 8 will be processed under the scheme, whereas all applications sent after this deadline will be processed under the regular study permit stream.
The notice further mentions that the change in visa policy “will not adversely affect eligibility for those who wish to apply for a study permit from a country” where the SDS was offered. Furthermore, all students must meet Canada’s study permit application requirements to study in Justin Trudeau helmed country.
According to the Government of Canada, the initiative is being discontinued to “strengthen program integrity, address student vulnerability, and give all students equal and fair access to the application process.”
The program 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.
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