New changes to Policies for Indian students: When it comes to Indian students who want to study abroad, Canada has always been very popular. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) disclosed during a parliamentary session that approximately 427,000 Indian students were enrolled in Canadian universities. The main factors contributing to Canada’s appeal to Indian students have been its excellent educational system, reasonable tuition costs, and alluring Post Study Work Rights that result in PR. Even after the SDS visa program was discontinued, Canada is still a popular destination for Indian students, according to Piyush Kumar, Regional Director for South Asia. The Regular Study Permit route guarantees ongoing opportunities and financial flexibility with careful planning.
New changes to Policies
- On November 8, 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) declared that the Student Direct Stream (SDS) visa program would no longer be offered.
- Additionally, the IRCC declared that its Nigeria Student Express (NSE) stream for study permits would no longer be available.
- The Regular Study Permit Stream will be used to process all applications for study permits.
Use of the SDS
- SDS was made available to students from 14 nations, including India, by the Canadian government.
- The program was put in place to expedite and simplify the visa application process.
- But when students applied, SDS required them to pay for tuition, living expenses like GIC, and ELT, which included an upfront investment.
Effects on Indian students of its elimination
- We expected the Regular Study Permit route to have a longer visa wait time, but it doesn’t appear to be the case because SDS was discontinued that month, primarily due to compliance with all the documentation requirements.
- To prevent delays, applicants should still prepare their documents and submit them well in advance.
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Benefits of the Regular Study Permit Stream (non-SDS)
- The good news is that Indian students can continue to benefit from the ease of documentation that comes with the standard student visa route.
- The Regular Study Permit route offers significantly more flexibility in terms of tuition fee payment and still permits a streamlined financial documentation process through the GIC option.
- The entire cost of tuition for a year is not required of applicants.
- Fee up front, instead, they just need to demonstrate that they have enough money for living expenses and pay for six months’ worth of tuition.
- For more students who might find it difficult to meet the high upfront financial requirement, this makes the Regular Study Permit route more financially viable.
A vast array of financial document evidence is made available by the new system. Students can adjust to the extensive application process with the right direction, prompt preparation, and assistance from counsellors and institutions, the overall impact can be lessened. The recent LokSabha meeting included a discussion about the termination of Canada’s SDS visa program. The House received assurances from the Indian government that this modification would lower the cost of admission, particularly for students who had found it difficult to cover the increased expenses related to the SDS requirements.
