Permit processing setback for Indian students in Canada

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s recent announcement that it will discontinue the Student Direct Stream (SDS) for expedited processing of international students’ study permits is seen as a major blow for Indian students who represent the largest national group among international students in Canada.

In particular, a majority of students from India’s northern state of Punjab were attracted to apply through SDS, which had a higher approval rate than the standard process.

Data from the Indian High Commission in Canada indicates that India is the largest source country, with about 427,000 Indian students currently studying in Canada.

According to education consultants, the sudden cancellation of the SDS programme is part of Canada’s wider strategy to regulate its international student population in response to increasing concerns about housing shortages and resource limitations.

Under its 2024 policy changes, the government set a cap of 437,000 new study permits for 2025, covering all educational levels, including postgraduate programmes.

The SDS also comes against a backdrop of escalating diplomatic tensions between Canada and India, following Canada’s accusations regarding India’s involvement in a plot to assassinate Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, which India has refuted.

Some education agents said that rising diplomatic tensions have significantly influenced the Canadian government’s recent decisions, directly impacting Indian students who frequently look to study abroad for better opportunities.

Consultants said that the uncertain outlook in Canada was particularly impacting students from Punjab with its large Sikh population who may have to consider alternative study destinations.

Parvinder Singh, a final-year graduate student from Jalandhar, Punjab, who intends to move to Canada, told University World News: “This sudden change has left many students worried about their academic futures. I was planning to go to Canada, but now that the fast-track visa system has been halted, it feels unfair.

“Many students from Punjab wish to study abroad, but they are facing difficulties due to the deteriorating relations between India and Canada.”

Another student from Punjab echoed these sentiments: “This decision will undoubtedly have a negative impact. Our ambitions and dreams of studying in Canada, which we have nurtured for years, are now at risk. I believe this is a detrimental decision for both countries.”

Additionally, on 1 November Canada implemented new requirements for its Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) programme.

Applicants are now required to provide proof of language proficiency, indicating a change in Canada’s approach to regulating post-graduation opportunities for international students and also restricting post-graduation work permits for non-university graduates to those whose subject of study aligns with the Canadian government’s new field of study requirements.

Shortened waiting times

Introduced in 2018, SDS enabled students from select countries, including India, to fast-track their applications if they fulfilled certain requirements, including securing a Canadian Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) valued at CA$20,635 (US$14,731) and submitting English or French language test scores.

It notably shortened the waiting time for permits, allowing successful applicants to obtain visas within weeks, in contrast to the average processing time of eight weeks for Indian applicants under the standard application process.

The changes came into effect on 8 November, but students who submitted applications before that date will still be processed through the expedited stream. Indian students will now have to apply for study permits through Canada’s standard study permit stream.

Originally accessible to applicants from China, India, and the Philippines, the programme subsequently broadened its scope to include additional countries, including Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, Colombia, and Morocco, among others.

Canadian immigration authorities state the discontinuation of the SDS and NSE programmes is aimed at “strengthening programme integrity”, and is designed to create “a more equitable process” for international students, ensuring fair treatment for applicants from all countries.

Prioritising university applicants

Students from Punjab are more likely to be impacted as they enrol in Canada’s community colleges, while Canadian universities attract more students from large cities elsewhere in India, education agents said.

“With Canada's new cap of 437,000 study permits for 2025, I think this signals a clear shift toward prioritising degree-seeking students over diploma programmes,” said Maria Mathai, director of New Delhi-based education consultancy MM Advisory Services.

Mathai told University World News that the most immediate impact will be felt in the college sector, which accounted for 75% of SDS applications post-pandemic. She noted it could lead to an overall drop in approval rates.

In 2023, 60% of the 400,000 Indian students seeking to study in Canada applied through the SDS programme, which had a significantly higher approval rate – over 70% of applicants from India received study permits.

In contrast, those applying through the regular study permit stream experienced much lower approval rates, at just 10%.

“Students pursuing diploma programmes, particularly from Punjab, will indeed face processing times which will increase from 1-3 weeks to 4-8 weeks,” said Mathai, adding it was to be expected as the original programme was launched to promote college applications.

However, Sushil Sukhwani, director of Edwise International, an overseas education consultancy, said SD had two main advantages.

“First, the student had to show that they had the necessary funds. Once this was achieved, the visa processing time was much reduced. With the scrapping of the SDS scheme, the students will still need to show adequate funding for their education and living,” he said.

Sukhwani told University World News that the GIC (Guaranteed Investment Certificate) will be optional. “The processing timelines for visas may increase; however, they could also remain the same due to a potential reduction in the volume of applications,” he said.

As of 2024, over 1.3 million Indian students have received study permits, with nearly 137,500 permits issued this year alone, representing 36.7% of the total international student intake.