For qualified overseas post-secondary students, Canada’s Student Direct Stream (SDS) is a fast-tracked programme that streamlines the application procedure for study permits. SDS for Studying in Canada.
The SDS program’s current objective is to swiftly provide study permits to foreign students from the following 14 nations:
Countries Eligible for the SDS Program
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Brazil
- China
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- India
- Morocco
- Pakistan
- Peru
- Philippines
- Senegal
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Vietnam
If you are a resident of one of the aforementioned nations and you apply for a study permit through the SDS programme while living there (outside of Canada), you must fulfill the following criteria in order to be accepted:
- Be able to prove that you have achieved language test results demonstrating an IELTS score of 6 in English or NCLC 7 for French
- Be able to provide a copy of the letter of acceptance you received from a Canadian Designated Learning Institution
- Be able to provide your most recent secondary or post-secondary school transcript(s)
- Be able to prove that tuition fees for the first year of study are paid
- Be able to present a confirmation document for your upfront medical exam
- Be able to prove that you have obtained a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of $10,000
- Be able to present a police certificate prior to when you apply
- If you are planning to study in Quebec: be able to present a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) from the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration
- Submit the application to a Visa Application Centre (VAC)
Some of these eligibility requirements are explained in great depth on the website of the Canadian government. The various ways you might demonstrate that your first year of tuition has been paid, the various financial institutions that offer GICs, and who would require (and who would not need) a medical test and/or police certificate to accompany your application are all covered in great length on this page. SDS for Studying in Canada.
Moreover, depending on where you live, you as a prospective applicant might require different documentation for the processing of your visa application. The set of government of Canada publications that describe the specific visa office guidelines for each of the 14 SDS-eligible countries is provided below.
For Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, or Trinidad and Tobago, the Canadian government does not, as of the time of writing, offer paperwork with visa office instructions on their website.
Brazil: Sao Paulo Visa Office Instructions
China: China Visa Office Instructions
Colombia: Bogota Visa Office Instructions
Costa Rica: Mexico City Visa Office Instructions
India: India Visa Office Instructions
Morocco: Rabat Visa Office Instructions
Pakistan: Abu Dhabi Visa Office Instructions
Peru: Lima Visa Office Instructions
Philippines: Manila Visa Office Instructions
Senegal: Dakar Visa Office Instructions
Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh-City Visa Office Instructions
All SDS applications will be handled by Canada in about 20 days. But, according to IRCC, this could take longer if your application needs more supporting documentation.
SDS for Studying in Canada
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) will give you a Port of Entry (POE) letter as confirmation to a visa officer that your application through the Student Direct Stream has been accepted for a study permit. This will come with a temporary resident or visiting visa or, if necessary, an electronic travel authorization (eTA). The Canadian government wants to make sure candidates note that SDS programme permits do not, by themselves, “enable you to travel to or enter Canada,” therefore it is crucial to comprehend the requirement for a travel visa in addition to a study permission.
In other words, these two accompanying pieces will be your true key to entering this country as an international student. Only then will your study permit take effect and allow you to continue your post-secondary education in Canada. SDS for Studying in Canada.
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