Canada Scraps Popular Student Visa Programme: Here's How It Will Impact Indians

Cana has scrapped a popular student visa scheme that facilitates visa issuing process for students coming from countries like India, China and Pakistan . popular student visa scheme kwn as Student Direct Stream (SDS) initiative has w stopped by Canian government on vember 8. Following this order, applications received after 2 pm on vember 8 won’t be attended under scrapped rule and that y will w be processed using regular study permit procedures.

tably, Student Direct Stream (SDS) was launched in 2018 with an aim to allow post-secondary students to have faster access to study permits in Cana.

This student visa scheme offered benefits to students from India, China, Pakistan , Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, St Vincent and Grenines, Vietnam and Trinid and Tobago.

In a tice issued by Canian government, it has been mentioned that change in student visa policy “will t versely affect eligibility for those who wish to apply for a study permit from a country” where SDS was offered.

Meanwhile, amidst ongoing diplomatic turbulence between India and Cana, discontinuation of visa scheme by Canian government has raised concerns among Indian students, who w fear that ir applications may take longer to get approved w.

According to reports, scheme has been disabled in wake of intense housing crisis, stretched healthcare system and skyrocketed inflation situation in Cana. General elections are scheduled to take place in Cana in 2025, and government is w scrambling to dress concerns that rth American country may be accepting too many immigrants.

It must be ted that Cana has alrey anunced its plans to issue fewer study permits in 2025 and 2026. According to reports, re will be a decrease in number of international student study permits for 2025. This change includes a 10 per cent reduction from 2024 target of 485,000 new permits, with plans to maintain this reduced cap going forward.