Canada has ended one of its most popular fast-track student visa programmes, the Student Direct Stream (SDS), which was launched in 2018 to help post-secondary students from 14 countries, including India, process their visas more quickly. Any study permit applications submitted after the cut-off will now be processed through the regular study permit stream, which may take longer.
Indian students who submitted their applications under the SDS before the 2 pm ET deadline on November 8 will still benefit from expedited processing times. However, those applying after the cut-off will face longer wait times.
“The SDS route has been popular among Indian students for two reasons—the slightly faster visa approval time than the normal student visa route and the requirement for fewer financial documents, as it only required a GIC to be submitted. The ease of documentation option still continues with the regular student visa route, and Indian students can still take advantage of that simpler process,” explained Piyush Kumar, Regional Director – South Asia, Canada and Latin America of IDP, a consultancy firm.
Why the change?
Although the reason behind this sudden policy change remains unclear, experts are concerned it may adversely affect the plans of Indian students hoping to study in Canada. “While the exact reasons behind this change are not entirely clear, it may be connected to broader immigration policy adjustments or an effort to manage the volume of applications amid current diplomatic tensions. For Indian students, the removal of SDS may introduce additional hurdles, potentially increasing processing times and leading to uncertainties,” said Aritra Ghosal, founder and director at OneStep Global, another educational consultancy firm.
Announcing the end of the programme on Friday, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said, “Canada’s goal is to strengthen programme integrity, address student vulnerability, and give all students equal and fair access to the application process, as well as a positive academic experience. To meet this commitment, the Student Direct Stream (SDS) ended as of 2 pm today. Canada is committed to giving all international students equal and fair access to the application process for study permits.”
“We remain hopeful that this change is part of a broader plan to refine the visa process, and we encourage students to stay informed and consider all available options while planning their educational journeys,” Aritra Ghosal added.
Indian students already on a student visa in Canada feel the change might also be a step towards reducing the number of temporary residents in the country. Aaryan Arora, who is pursuing a diploma in business administration from Norquest College, believes some students opt for “easy courses” to gain entry into Canada and sometimes end up unemployed after graduation.
Aaryan Arora’s views align with the Canadian prime minister’s recent announcement, where he said, “We’re going to have fewer temporary foreign workers in Canada. We’re bringing in stricter rules for companies to prove why they can’t hire Canadian workers first,” Justin Trudeau posted on X.
Additionally, The Globe and Mail recently reported that Ottawa is preparing to announce a significant reduction in the number of permanent residents it plans to admit. According to the Canadian newspaper, the number of permanent residents will drop from 4.85 lakh this year to 3.95 lakh in 2025, with further cuts to 3.8 lakh in 2026 and 3.65 lakh in 2027, based on information from a senior government source.
Aaryan Arora also noted that the changes could have a “good impact on Canada’s housing costs, which have doubled in the past nine years”. “Once that is achieved and inflation is controlled, Canada might restart the programme and bring back all the other immigrant-friendly policies too,” he said.
Indian students — biggest market for Canada
According to data from IRCC, approximately 13 lakh Indian students received study permits from 2015 to 2024. For 2024, up until August, 1.37 lakh Indian students out of 3.74 lakh international students—accounting for 36.7 per cent—received study permits. India is Canada’s largest source country for foreign students, with an estimated 4.27 lakh students studying there in 2023.
Data from NFAP, which analyses international student statistics, showed that between 2016 and 2019, the number of Indian students in Canada rose by 182 per cent. For the past six years, Indian students have been among the primary beneficiaries of the SDS. According to official estimates, 60 per cent of the four lakh Indian students who sought to study in Canada in 2023 applied under the programme. Under the SDS, the approval rate for Indian students was consistently higher, breaching 70 per cent in 2023. In contrast, those applying through the regular route had approval rates as low as 10 per cent.
What next for Indian students?
While some students and experts are concerned that the process will become longer and more complicated, others believe the impact will be short-lived. “We anticipate the SDS route announcement to only have a short-term impact on applicants targeting the immediate intake in January and May 2025,” Piyush Kumar said.
Indian students applying for a student visa in Canada now should consider that visa processing times are expected to increase. They should thus factor in additional buffer time and apply for their study visas accordingly.
“For applicants targeting all subsequent intake cycles, we advise starting early and allowing about eight to 10 weeks to secure student visa approvals. We understand Indian students’ preference for Canada as a study destination and the popularity of the SDS for quick visa approvals, but even through the regular visa processing route, Canada’s visa approval timelines will remain comparable to, or shorter than, those of other popular foreign destinations,” Piyush Kumar said.
With the 45th Canadian federal election scheduled for next year, Prime Minister Trudeau has introduced several changes to the student visa guidelines. As part of these changes, the government has set a cap of 437,000 new study permits for 2025, covering all levels of education, including postgraduate programmes.
Other changes effective from November 1 include tougher language and academic benchmarks for students aiming to qualify for the post-graduation work permit (PGWP), limited work permits for spouses of international students, higher financial proof requirements, and reduced availability of multiple-entry visas.
“The recent measures Canada is taking, including tighter immigration caps and increased restrictions, appear to prioritise high-quality students aiming for globally renowned institutions. We will need to adopt a ‘wait and watch’ approach, as upcoming events, such as the Canadian elections in 2025, may influence this stance. Historically, Canada has reopened doors to Indian students when demand shifts, given India’s strong applicant numbers. Current dynamics in diplomatic relations may also be influencing these decisions,” said an expert.
Students are also advised to broaden their options. “In light of these changes, students may benefit from planning their applications well in advance and considering additional study destinations, such as Germany, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and Singapore. Exploring these emerging destinations can provide more options and broaden their academic opportunities,” said Mayank Maheshwari, co-founder of University Living, which assists students to find accommodation in several countries.
Students already studying abroad believe that Indians need to focus on developing their skills rather than solely aiming to settle abroad. “There are several Indians who come to Canada just to obtain PR and don’t even know how to operate a laptop. This increases the immigration numbers but also raises the unemployability rate here. I would strictly recommend that such individuals first gain skills before planning to study abroad, as rote learning will not work here. I do not recommend coming to Canada for such people,” Aaryan Arora said.