The announcement comes simply months after the Canadian authorities imposed additional limits on worldwide research permits by 10% from the 2024 goal of 485,000
“Canada’s objective is to strengthen program integrity, deal with pupil vulnerability, and provides all college students equal and truthful entry to the applying course of, in addition to a constructive educational expertise,” IRCC mentioned in a assertion saying the modifications.
“To fulfill this dedication, the Scholar Direct Stream (SDS) and Nigeria Scholar Categorical (NSE) initiatives have ended as of two:00 pm ET at the moment,” the November 8 announcement learn.
The SDS, launched in 2018, was open to college students from 14 nations together with, Brazil, China, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Senegal, and Vietnam.
Permits below SDS had been often processed in about 4-6 weeks in comparison with non-SDS permits which took months to get accredited, in some circumstances.
In the meantime, NSE enabled quicker utility processing for potential college college students from Nigeria.
In response to IRCC, all new research allow functions will likely be processed by way of the common research allow stream, which accepts Assured Funding Certificates as proof of economic help.
“Canada will proceed to welcome worldwide college students from all all over the world,” said IRCC.
Together with assembly different research allow necessities, candidates below the SDS stream had been required to submit language take a look at outcomes and proof of a Canadian GIC valued at CAD $20,635.
As per the discover, SDS and NSE functions submitted earlier than 2:00 p.m. ET, November 8, 2024, will likely be processed below these streams, whereas research allow functions submitted on or after this time will likely be processed below the common research allow stream.
The announcement alludes to an enormous shift in Canada’s worldwide pupil program. Reacting on LinkedIn to the information, some stakeholders expressed issues for longer processing instances, in addition to greater refusal charges.
Nonetheless, with Canadian research permits projected to drop by almost half this 12 months, some consider the discount in quantity of functions may need contributed to the choice to finish SDS.
“All functions for research allow will likely be completed by way of common stream solely. As it’s, we’re seeing visas come a lot quicker,” mentioned Madhav Gupta, director, Enbee Schooling Centre.
“Perhaps the Canadian Authorities didn’t want two divisions of SDS and common stream as volumes are lesser as a result of caps. The choices are quicker and want for quicker SDS doesn’t exist now.”
With the top of those fast-track initiatives, Canada is constant to pursue overhaul of its immigration insurance policies regarding non permanent residents, together with worldwide college students.
On the 2024 CBIE convention held in Ottawa, although immigration minister Marc Miller said that there could be no extra “main” coverage modifications in Canada’s worldwide training sector, he didn’t rule out the potential of “small surgical corrections” sooner or later.
“The broad-brush strokes are there, if there’s something extra to be completed by the federal authorities it will likely be small surgical corrections,” Miller informed the viewers.
