All around the world, many students dream of studying in Canada’s top universities and colleges. India is one such country, where lakhs of students migrate to Canada every year to pursue an international degree. The number of students applying for Canada Study Visa keeps increasing every year and so, Canada tries to make this process easier for the students.
Normally, a Canada study visa takes seven weeks to process. But it can be done in only 20 calendar days through the program launched by Canada, the Student Direct Stream (SDS). This program is very popular and the most used track to get a Canada study permit, especially among Indian students as India is one of the 14 eligible countries for SDS.
The Student Direct Stream (SDS)
The Student Direct Stream (SDS) is an expedited study permit processing program that was launched in 2018. Students applying to study in Canada at a post-secondary designated learning institution (DLI) can fast-track the processing of their study visas through SDS.
The SDS program increases the number of study permits issued by IRCC and thereby helps Canada’s economic growth by inviting global talent. These students eventually plan on staying and gaining valuable work experience in Canada, contributing to its workforce, and could also possibly become permanent residents.
IRCC processes most SDS applications within 20 calendar days if the eligibility requirements are met. Only electronically submitted applications are eligible for SDS processing.
Eligibility Criteria for SDS
Residents of the 14 countries eligible for the SDS must meet the following requirements in order to get a Canada study visa:
- Proof of payment : proof of fully paid tuition fee for the first year of study. It can be a receipt/official letter from the DLI confirming payment or a receipt from the bank/proof of the amount being transferred to the repository account at the respective DLI .
- Acceptance letter : an acceptance letter from a post-secondary designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada.
- GIC : proof of a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of CAN$10,000 or more from any bank insured by the Canadian Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC) or any bank listed on the IRCC SDS web page.
- Language proficiency proof : proof of language proficiency through valid test results with either a score of 6.0 or higher in International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (academics) or Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of at least 7 for each ability in the Test d’évaluation de français (TEF)
- Educational credentials : most recent secondary or post-secondary school transcript(s).
- For Quebec : Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) or a letter of approval from the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI), only for applicants planning to study in Quebec.
- Additional documents : proof of completion of upfront medical exam and a police certificate before applying.
Depending on the applicant’s country, some additional supporting documents could also be requested by IRCC before the final processing of the Canada study visa application.
Procedure to Apply
A candidate first needs to be accepted by a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) in Canada. There are over 300 institutions all over the country with several academic programs to choose from. Once the applicant gets admitted to the preferred DLI, the online application process of study permit can be started with IRCC.
Complete the application form with all the supporting documents and pay the application fee. After successfully submitting the application, candidates receive a letter requesting submission of their biometrics, which has to be done within the next 30 days.
If the application gets approved, candidates receive a “port of entry letter of introduction”. This will be needed upon arrival in Canada. Along with that, they will also get their Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) or visitors visa. In addition to a Canada study visa, visitors visa is also required to study in Canada.
Thus, Student Direct Stream (SDS) processes the study visa application within 3 weeks and helps numerous students study in their dream college through an easy procedure and a minimum processing time.
Canadian permanent residence through Student Direct Stream (SDS)
International students with a Canada study visa can easily become permanent residents if they so wish.
The Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) allows international students to stay in the country and work for up to three years after graduating. After one year’s work experience, international graduates may be eligible to apply for permanent residency through CEC or various other immigration programs.
To check your eligibility for these programs, you can opt for the free assessment form by Canadian Visa News which guides you through the entire process.
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