Canada discontinues popular visa scheme for international students

In an another policy shift, Canada has put an end to the Student Direct Stream (SDS) with immediate effect— a move that would impact thousands of international students.

Launched in 2018, the SDS was designed to streamline the study permit process for applicants from 14 countries, including India, China, Pakistan, and the Philippines.

The SDS programme, popular among international students, provided faster permit approvals — often within weeks — compared to the standard process.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has also shut down the Nigeria Student Express (NSE) programme, requiring Nigerian applicants to use the standard study permit application route.

The SDS visa application usually took three to four weeks to process while the normal process takes eight to twelve weeks.

The Canadian government has set a cap of 4,37,000 new study permits for 2025, covering all levels of education, including postgraduate programmes. This move comes as another jolt to Indian students planning to move to Canada for higher education.

Earlier this year, Canada had also implemented other new rules for international students in 2024, including a two-year cap on study permits, reducing the number by 35 per cent.