Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced today the launch of a new Student Direct Stream (SDS), promising to simplify the processing of Canadian study permit applications for "legal residents" of China, India, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
Previously, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) had separate programs to serve individuals from these countries applying to study in Canada.
IRCC has now merged these individual programs into the SDS to ensure consistency in processing and requirements for all study permit applicants.
IRCC also plans to expand the program to Africa in 2019, with a focus on potential French-speaking students from countries such as Senegal.
"IRCC recognizes the significant economic, cultural, and social benefits that international students bring to Canada," said Ahmed Hussen, Canada's Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, in a statement.
"We are committed to improving client service for all applicants, including students, as we continue to find new and effective ways to reduce processing times."
What is this process?
To expedite the processing of a Canadian study permit through the SDS, potential international students in Canada must meet additional language requirements that are not part of the existing study permit requirements.
After receiving an acceptance letter from a designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada, international student applicants must also provide proof of the following:
- 00001. Payment of tuition fees for the first year of study at the designated learning institution in Canada;
- 00002. Purchase of a $10,000 Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC);
- 00003. Completion of a pre-arrival medical examination;
- 00004. A qualifying score of at least 6.0 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) (for English proficiency) or a score of Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) level 7 in the Test d'évaluation de français (TEF) (for French proficiency), or graduation from a Canadian-curriculum high school program.
IRCC stated that citizens of these four countries who are residing elsewhere at the time of application will have their applications processed under the normal study permit requirements. The normal processing time for study permit applications varies depending on the applicant's country of residence.
The Government of Canada stated that it is committed to making it easier to study in Canada and will evaluate the success of the program before expanding it in 2019.
This year, the number of international students in Canada has reached an all-time high, with nearly 500,000 overseas students choosing Canada as their study destination.