No special speedy Canada visa for students from India, China, Brazil

Canada on Friday brought the Student Direct Stream (SDS) visa programme for international students to a halt. This comes as an aftermath of the current housing and resource crisis. The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has been implementing the SDS visa programme since 2018 to expedite study permit applications for international students.

This SDS visa specifically focused on bringing student immigrants from 14 countries, including China, India, and Brazil.

According to the Government of Canada, the initiative is being discontinued to “strengthen programme integrity, address student vulnerability, and give all students equal and fair access to the application process.”

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  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 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. All students must meet Canada’s study permit application requirements to study in the country.

What does discontinuation of SDS mean?

The Student Direct Stream programme specifically had higher approval rates and faster processing times. However, following the discontinuation of this, students from all 14 countries, including India, will have to undergo more lengthy visa processes from now on.

This drastic policy change, for the first time in years, comes as a measure to curb the number of immigrants entering the country. This recent move comes against the backdrop of economic problems ranging from a strained healthcare system, rising cost of living, and housing crisis, among others.

(By arrangement with livemint.com)