Canada has ended the popular Fast Track Study Visa (SDS) program with immediate effect, a major policy decision that is likely to impact many international students, particularly from India.

Please note that this image has been published for representational purposes only. Photography: ANI Photo

Processing time for students applying through the Student Direct Stream (SDS) was significantly shorter and approval rates higher, which will change after Canada ends the program on Friday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced in September on X: “We are granting 35 percent fewer international student permits this year. And next year this figure will decrease by another 10 percent.

“Immigration is good for our economy – but when bad actors abuse the system and take advantage of students, we crack down,” he added in his message as the Canadian government said it was seeking to reduce immigration. number of temporary residents.

The move comes amid the ongoing diplomatic row between India and Canada.

According to the Indian High Commission, India is the largest source country for foreign students, with approximately 4,27,000 Indian students studying in Canada.

“Canada is committed to providing all international students with equal and fair access to the study permit application process,” Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said in a statement on Friday.

Canada’s goal is to “strengthen program integrity, address student vulnerabilities, and provide all students with equal and fair access to the application process, as well as a positive academic experience,” says the press release.

The SDS was launched in 2018 to enable faster processing for eligible post-secondary students, he said, adding that it was eventually opened to legal residents of Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, the China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan and Peru. , Philippines, Senegal, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and Vietnam.

There was a similar Nigeria Student Express (NSE) for prospective university students from Nigeria; it too ended with the SDS, the statement said, adding that the SDS and NSE initiatives ended on Friday.

The IRCC gave a cut-off time of 2:00 p.m. ET on Friday (12:30 a.m. IST Saturday) and said that all eligible SDS and NSE applications received before will be processed under these flows.

However, IRCC said prospective students can still apply through the regular study permit stream, for which guaranteed placement certificates are accepted as proof of financial support.

According to the information portal immigrationnewscanada.ca, the SDS was launched with the aim of simplifying and speeding up the processing of study permits for students from selected countries. The streamlined process allowed eligible applicants from countries like India, China and the Philippines to enter Canada more quickly, usually within a few weeks, rather than waiting for the standard processing time, which could take several months, he adds.

Another portal, moving2canada.com, explains: “2024 has been a turbulent year for prospective students wanting to study in Canada, with significant reductions in the number of international students Canada will admit each year. On the other hand, many believe that expediting SDS and NSE applications is a way to accept as many students as possible.

Under the SDS, applications from Indian students were processed within 20 working days and now it can take up to eight weeks, the portal added.

Not only for international students, Canada is also moving backwards from its previously pro-immigration stance, particularly for low-skilled workers, many of whom come from India.

On October 24, Immigration Minister Marc Miller presented the latest immigration strategy stating that Canada would admit approximately 3,95,000 permanent residents in 2025, representing a drop of almost 20 percent per year. compared to the 4,85,000 expected this year.

The plan also sets a target for temporary immigrants, including international students and foreign workers. Their number is expected to drop to around 4,46,000 in 2025 and 2026, from around 8,00,000 this year.

By 2027, Canada will only accept 17,400 new non-permanent residents, the new policy suggests.