Canada ends fast track visa programme for international students, Indian students likely to be impacted most

Canada has ended with immediate effect the popular fast track study visa programme, SDS, a major policy decision that is likely to impact scores of international students, including from India.

The processing time for students applying under the Student Direct Stream (SDS) was significantly shorter and approval rates higher, something that will change after Canada ended the scheme on Friday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in September had announced on X: “We're granting 35 per cent fewer international student permits this year. And next year, that number's going down by another 10 per cent.” “Immigration is an advantage for our economy - but when bad actors abuse the system and take advantage of students, we crack down,” he added in the post as the Canadian government said it was looking to reduce the number of temporary residents.

The move comes amid the ongoing diplomatic row between India and Canada.

According to the Indian High Commission here, India is the largest source country of foreign students with an estimated 4,27,000 Indian students studying in Canada.

“Canada is committed to giving all international students equal and fair access to the application process for study permits,” the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said in a statement on Friday.

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,” the statement said.

The SDS was launched in 2018 to provide faster processing for eligible post-secondary students, it 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 prospective university students from Nigeria; it too has ended along with the SDS, the statement said, adding, both the SDS and the NSE initiatives ended on Friday.

The IRCC gave a cut off time of 2:00 pm ET on Friday (00:30 IST Saturday), and said all the eligible SDS and NSE applications received before it will be processed under these streams.

However, the IRCC said the prospective students can still apply through the regular study permit stream, for which Guaranteed Investment Certificates are accepted as proof of financial support.

According to a news portal immigrationnewscanada.Ca, the SDS was launched with the goal of simplifying and expediting study permit processing for students from selected countries. The streamlined process allowed eligible applicants from countries such as India, China and Philippines to enter Canada faster, typically within a few weeks, rather than waiting for the standard processing time, which could take several months, it added.

Explained another portal, moving2canada.Com, “Year 2024 has been a turbulent year for prospective students looking to study in Canada, with significant cuts being made to the number of international students Canada will admit each year. In contrast, many say the fast-tracking of SDS and NSE applications as a means to accept as many students as possible.” Under SDS, Indian students' applications were processed within 20 business days and now it may take up to eight weeks, the portal added.

Not just for international students, Canada is also stepping back from its previously welcoming immigration stance, especially for low-skilled workers, including a large number from India.

On October 24, Immigration Minister Marc Miller outlined the latest immigration strategy saying Canada will admit approximately 3,95,000 permanent residents in 2025, marking a drop of nearly 20 per cent from the 4,85,000 expected this year.

The plan also sets a target for temporary immigrants, including international students and foreign workers. Their numbers are expected to drop to about 4,46,000 in 2025 and 2026, down from roughly 8,00,000 this year.

By 2027, Canada will accept just 17,400 new non-permanent residents, the new policy suggested.