Politics
Canada Halts Fast-Track Visas for Foreign Students Amid Diplomatic Tensions with India
Canada Halts Fast-Track Visas for Foreign Students Amid Diplomatic Tensions with India
Ottawa recently made the decision to discontinue the Student Direct Stream (SDS) program, with immediate effect. For international students hoping to study in Canada, the announcement made by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) on Friday represents a major shift. SDS was introduced in 2018 with the goal of expediting study permits for qualified students from 14 nations, including India, by providing a high acceptance rate and streamlined procedure in four weeks. The IRCC claims that the ruling is a component of Canada’s initiatives to provide equitable and fair access to its application process, improve program integrity, and lessen student vulnerability. Applications for research permits filed after the announcement will now be handled through the usual stream, which might result in twice as long processing periods.
Globayan Immigration Corporation head Naresh Chavda emphasized the suddenness of the SDS closure, which had previously allowed students who satisfied acceptance, financial, and language requirements to apply more quickly. Chavda voiced worries that the removal of SDS may make Canada less desirable as a place to study, possibly sending students abroad. This choice is a component of Canada’s larger plan to control the number of international students. The IRCC announced on September 18 that the 2025 study permit maximum would be 437,000, compared to 485,000 in 2024. According to latest data, the number of permits awarded to Indian students decreased from 70,340 to 55,940 between April and June 2024.
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This recalibration is reflected in other actions taken in the last 12 months. For example, starting on January 1, 2024, new candidates will need to show a financial reserve of CA$20,635 (about ₹12.7 lakh) instead of CA$10,000 for single applicants. Furthermore, beginning in December 2023, designated learning institutions (DLIs) will have to use IRCC to confirm that each applicant’s acceptance letter is legitimate.
