Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has as of 8 November closed the “Student Direct Stream” with immediate effect. This decision ends the fast-track visa stream with high visa success rates.
In 2018, Canada launched the Student Direct Stream (SDS) to speed up the study permit process for eligible post-secondary students. Over time, the program expanded to include legal residents from several countries, such as Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Senegal, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vietnam.
Similarly, Nigerian students could apply through the Nigeria Student Express (NSE), which offers an expedited process as well.
Canada has decided to end the SDS and NSE initiatives as of 2:00 p.m. ET on 8 November to strengthen these commitments.
Now, students from all over the world, including those who previously used SDS or NSE, are invited to apply through the regular study permit stream. This standard process will accept Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs) as proof of financial support, making it straightforward for students to demonstrate their financial readiness.
Next Steps for International Students:
- Applications that were submitted through the SDS or NSE streams before the cutoff time—2:00 p.m. ET on November 8, 2024—will still be processed under these programs.
- Applications submitted after this time will go through the regular study permit stream.
As per IRCC’s statement on this decision:
This change will not impact anyone’s eligibility to apply for a Canadian study permit, no matter where they’re from. All students, whether they use SDS or NSE or not, just need to meet the general requirements for a Canadian study permit.