November 8, 2024 – Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that it will no longer accept study permit applications submitted through the Student Direct Stream (SDS).

IRCC has also terminated the Nigeria Student Express (NSE) stream for Nigerian study permit applicants.

The Student Direct Stream (SDS) 

The Student Direct Stream (SDS) was launched in 2018 to provide faster processing for eligible post-secondary students. This program was open to legal residents of 14 countries, including China, India, the Philippines, and Vietnam. In addition to other study permit requirements, applicants were required to provide language test results and proof of a $20,635 CAD Canadian Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC).

Canada is committed to providing equal and fair access to the study permit application process for all international students. Therefore, the Student Direct Stream (SDS) and Nigeria Student Express (NSE) programs officially ended at 2:00 PM ET on November 8, 2024. Moving forward, study permit applications previously eligible under the SDS must now be submitted through the standard study permit application process.

Impact on Applicants

Study permit applications received before 2:00 PM ET on November 8, 2024, that qualify under SDS and NSE will be processed as planned. Applications submitted after this time will follow the standard study permit application process.

Moving forward, study permit applications previously eligible under SDS must now be submitted through the standard process. Students from countries that previously had SDS or NSE programs will not be adversely affected when applying for study permits.

Prepare Your Study Permit Application Early

Historically, the Student Direct Stream (SDS) offered faster processing times compared to the standard study permit application process. As a result, students who originally planned to apply through the SDS should now anticipate longer processing times and allocate more time for submitting their study permit applications.

For more details, please visit the official news release on the Canadian Government’s website.

Visit TWA Canada Immigration News for more related updates.