Canada ends fast-track study visa programme; likely to affect Indians

Ottawa: Canada has discontinued the popular fast-track study visa programme, Student Direct Stream (SDS), with immediate effect, reported PTI. This move is seen as a significant policy shift that could impact many international students, including those from India.

The SDS programme, which had been in place to expedite the processing of student applications, allowed for shorter processing times and higher approval rates. However, these benefits will no longer apply following the government’s decision to end the scheme on Friday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had announced in September via 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."

He further commented, "Immigration is an advantage for our economy—but when bad actors abuse the system and take advantage of students, we crack down." This post was shared as the Canadian government signalled a reduction in the number of temporary residents in the country.

The move comes amidst an ongoing diplomatic dispute between India and Canada. According to the Indian High Commission in Ottawa, India remains Canada's largest source of foreign students, with an estimated 427,000 Indian students currently enrolled in Canadian institutions.

In a statement released on Friday, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) reassured that the country remains committed to offering all international students equal access to the study permit application process. "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 read.

Launched in 2018, the SDS programme was designed to accelerate processing for eligible post-secondary students. Over time, it was expanded to include legal residents of 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.

A similar programme, the Nigeria Student Express (NSE), which was designed for prospective students from Nigeria, has also been terminated along with the SDS. Both the SDS and NSE programmes officially ended on Friday, according to the IRCC statement.

The IRCC set a cutoff time of 2.00 pm ET on Friday (00.30 IST Saturday), clarifying that all eligible applications submitted before that time will still be processed under the SDS and NSE streams. However, the IRCC noted that prospective students can still apply through the regular study permit stream, for which Guaranteed Investment Certificates will serve as proof of financial support.

According to immigration news portal immigrationnewscanada.ca, the SDS was created to simplify and speed up the study permit process for students from selected countries. The programme enabled applicants from India, China, and the Philippines, among others, to enter Canada much faster—typically within a few weeks—compared to the standard processing time, which could stretch to several months.

Another portal, moving2canada.com, noted that 2024 has been a turbulent year for prospective international students hoping to study in Canada. With the new policy reducing the number of students admitted, the SDS and NSE fast-tracking initiatives were seen as efforts to process as many applications as possible.

Under SDS, Indian students’ applications were processed within 20 business days, but this could now extend to up to eight weeks, according to the portal.

In addition to these changes affecting international students, Canada has also scaled back its previously welcoming immigration policy for low-skilled workers, many of whom are from India. On October 24, Immigration Minister Marc Miller unveiled Canada’s latest immigration strategy, which plans to admit approximately 395,000 permanent residents in 2025, a nearly 20 per cent reduction from the 485,000 expected this year.

The new strategy also targets a reduction in the number of temporary immigrants, including international students and foreign workers, with their numbers expected to fall to around 446,000 in 2025 and 2026, compared to approximately 800,000 in 2023. By 2027, Canada aims to accept only 17,400 new non-permanent residents, according to the updated policy.