Student Direct Stream Ends

Summary#

The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration has ended the Student Direct Stream (SDS) as of November 8, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., EST. Study permit applications received before that time may still get expedited processing if they meet the SDS conditions. Applications received on or after that time will be handled under the regular Study Permit Stream.

What it does#

• Stops giving priority (faster) processing under the Student Direct Stream (SDS) to any study permit application submitted on or after November 8, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., EST.
• Keeps the SDS pathway available only for complete applications submitted before that date and time that meet the listed conditions.
• Lists the main documents required (for those pre-deadline applications to be eligible for expedited processing):
  • an acceptance letter from a designated learning institution;
  • proof that first-year tuition has been paid to that institution;
  • a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) equal to 75% of the low income cut off (for study outside Quebec) or the Quebec GIC amount for Quebec study;
  • medical exam results and a police certificate;
  • recent school transcripts;
  • a language test result meeting the SDS standards (see below);
  • for Quebec-bound students, a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ).
• Explains language test rules for SDS eligibility:
  • tests must be taken in person (no remote proctoring);
  • accepted scores are those equivalent to Canadian Language Benchmarks (CLB) 7 for general tests, or certain academic-test minimums (for example, IELTS Academic overall 6 or TOEFL iBT overall 83).
• Clarifies that SDS-specific eligibility documents are no longer required up front for new applications submitted on or after the effective date (because the program ended).
• Repeals the earlier SDS ministerial instructions (signed December 19, 2023) as of the effective date.

Who's affected#

• Prospective international students who applied for a Canadian study permit through the Student Direct Stream (SDS) before November 8, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., EST — they may still get faster processing if they meet the rules above.
• Applicants who planned to use SDS but submitted on or after November 8, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., EST — they will be processed under the regular Study Permit Stream and will not get SDS priority.
• People most likely to notice this change first are legal residents of the countries that were eligible under SDS (the notice lists specific countries) and institutions, immigration representatives, and officers who handle study permits.
• If it is unclear who is affected (for example, applicants from countries not listed for SDS), they will follow the normal study permit process.

Why it matters#

• If you wanted faster study-permit processing through SDS, the application had to be submitted before November 8, 2024, at 2:00 p.m., EST and include the required documents. Missing that cutoff means you should expect regular processing times.
• The in-person language test requirement could be a practical hurdle for applicants who relied on remote tests.
• Schools, recruiters, and immigration advisers need to adjust expectations and timelines for clients who hoped to use SDS.