Student Direct Stream Priority Rules

Summary#

These are the Ministerial Instructions for the Student Direct Stream Program that set out which study permit applications get faster handling under the Student Direct Stream (SDS). They were signed on May 12, 2023 and come into force 90 days after that; after the effective date, only applications that meet the listed conditions will receive priority processing.

What it does#

• Says which study permit applications should be processed on a priority (faster) basis under the Student Direct Stream (SDS).
• Requires applicants to come from one of the eligible countries and to submit specific documents at the time they apply.
• Lists accepted language tests and the minimum scores needed for priority processing.
• Says tests must be taken in person; online remotely proctored tests are not accepted.
• States that applications received on or after the effective date that do not meet these conditions will not get priority processing.

Key requirements applicants must provide at application time:

• an acceptance letter from a designated post‑secondary institution;
• proof that tuition for the first year has been paid to that school;
• a Guaranteed Investment Certificate of CAN$10,000;
• a medical exam;
• a police certificate;
• recent secondary or post‑secondary transcripts;
• a language test result that meets the approved tests and score thresholds (see below);
• if planning to study in Quebec, a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ).

Accepted language tests and minimum scores (all four abilities: speaking, listening, reading, writing):

• General tests (equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmarks 7 for each ability): IELTS General, CELPIP General, TEF Canada, TCF Canada.
• Academic tests:
  • IELTS Academic — minimum 6 overall (per source);
  • CAEL — minimum 60;
  • Pearson PTE Academic — minimum 60;
  • TEF - 5 épreuves — minimum 400;
  • TCF - tout public — minimum 400;
  • TOEFL iBT (from ETS) — minimum 83.
• All tests must be taken in person; online remotely proctored formats are excluded.

Who's affected#

• Prospective international students from the listed countries who want faster study permit processing under the SDS. The eligible countries named are Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vietnam.
• Designated learning institutions whose incoming students may use the SDS.
• Immigration officers who will apply these instructions when deciding which study permit files receive priority.
• Applicants planning to study in Quebec must also obtain a CAQ.

Why it matters#

• If you are an international student from an eligible country and you can provide all of the listed documents (including an in‑person language test and CAN$10,000 GIC), your study permit application may be processed faster than usual.
• That can reduce wait time before travel and study begins.
• The rules also raise the bar for documentation up front (costs for tests, the GIC, and paying first‑year tuition), which can affect how quickly and affordably some students can apply.
• Applications that don’t meet the conditions after the effective date will not get priority processing.