Student Direct Stream ends Nov 8, 2024

Summary#

The federal Ministerial Instructions for the Student Direct Stream Program say the Student Direct Stream (SDS) has ended and will no longer accept new applications for expedited processing after November 8, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., EST. Study permit applications submitted before that time may still get faster handling if they meet the listed conditions.

What it does#

• Stops offering expedited SDS processing to any study permit application submitted on or after November 8, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., EST.
• Confirms that complete SDS applications received before that time can still be considered for priority processing if they meet the SDS conditions.
• Lists the documents applicants needed to provide (for those pre-deadline applications) to be eligible for SDS priority, including:
  • an acceptance letter from a designated learning institution;
  • evidence that first-year tuition has been paid;
  • a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) equal to 75% of the low income cut-off (LICO) for studies outside Quebec, or the Quebec GIC amount for studies in Quebec;
  • a medical exam report and a police certificate;
  • recent school transcripts;
  • a language test meeting specified scores (see below); and
  • a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) for applicants intending to study in Quebec.
• Specifies accepted language tests and minimum scores (in-person tests only):
  • General tests with a Canadian Language Benchmarks equivalent of at least CLB 7 in each skill: IELTS General, CELPIP General, TEF Canada, TCF Canada; or
  • Academic tests with minimum overall scores: IELTS Academic 6, CAEL 60, Pearson PTE Academic 60, TEF – 5 épreuves 400, TCF – tout public 400, or TOEFL iBT 83 (each with results reported for speaking, listening, reading, writing).
• Says SDS-specific eligibility documents are no longer required up front after the effective date.

Who's affected#

• People who applied for a Canadian study permit through the Student Direct Stream (SDS) before November 8, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., EST and who are from the eligible countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vietnam.
• Prospective international students who planned to use SDS but submitted their application after November 8, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., EST — their applications will be processed under the regular study-permit stream (no priority processing).
• Designated learning institutions, immigration consultants, and family members who rely on SDS timelines may notice longer waits for post-deadline applicants.

Why it matters#

• If you submitted an SDS application before November 8, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., EST and met the listed conditions, you might still get faster processing. If you applied after that time, you should expect normal (slower) study-permit processing.
• Applicants from the eligible countries needed more than just an acceptance letter — they also needed proof of tuition payment, a GIC (or Quebec equivalent), medical and police checks, transcripts, and specific in-person language test results. That matters for preparation and cost.
• The change affects planning: timelines for travel, housing, and school start dates can be longer for people who missed the SDS cutoff.
• The notice is an instruction to immigration officers about processing priorities. It does not create new benefits for people who apply after the deadline.