As of today, November 8th, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is no longer accepting study permit applications submitted under the Student Direct Stream (SDS).
IRCC has also ended the Nigeria Student Express (NSE) stream for study permit applicants from Nigeria.
Going forward, study permit applications previously eligible under the SDS must now be submitted using the standard application process.
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In 2018, the SDS was launched to expedite study permit applications for international students from 14 countries, including India, China, Pakistan, and the Philippines.
Notably, in addition to other study permit requirements, applicants under the SDS stream were required to provide language test results and evidence that they opened a Canadian Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of $20,635 CAD.
Starting your study permit application early
The SDS had historically higher approval rates and faster processing times as compared to the standard study permit application process. As such, students who planned to apply under the SDS should now plan for longer processing times.
Regular study permit processing times vary by country. For example, as of November 8th, the average processing time for applications submitted from India is now 8 weeks.
Recent changes to Canada’s international student program
In 2024, new measures have been announced for Canada’s international student program as the federal government looks to control the levels of temporary residents (study and work permit holders) in the country.
In the last 12 months, IRCC has:
- Implemented a cap on new study permit issuances. In 2025, this cap is set to 437,000 new study permits, and will include master’s and PhD students;
- Implemented new language and field of study eligibility for students pursuing a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP);
- Limited availability of work permits for spouses of international students; and
- Updated the cost-of-living requirement for international students applying for a Canadian study permit.
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