Big blow for Indian students as Canada ends fast-track SDS visa scheme

The Government of Canada announced the termination of its Student Direct Stream (SDS), a program popular with Indian students for expedited study permit processing. As of today, students from India and 13 other countries who previously benefited from faster application handling through the SDS will now apply via Canada’s regular study permit system.

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Introduced in 2018, the SDS offered a faster path for students from India, China, Pakistan, the Philippines, Vietnam, and other eligible countries seeking Canadian education. The program, intended for post-secondary applicants, helped streamline the permit process for thousands of students annually, especially those from India, one of the largest groups of international students in Canada.

Canada justified their decision by saying that ending the SDS would "support equal opportunities for all students," eliminating fast-track options based on nationality.

The move comes as Canada seeks to "to strengthen program integrity, address student vulnerability, and give all students equal and fair access to the application process, as well as a positive academic experience," according to the notice on the Canada government's website.

Nigerian students are similarly impacted, with the Nigeria Student Express (NSE) program also discontinued.

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Applications received before the program’s cutoff at 2.00 pm ET on November 8 will still be processed under SDS or NSE rules. Future applications will go through the regular stream, which still permits the use of a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) for financial proof but does not guarantee expedited processing.