Canada to end popular student visa program: how it affects Indians

New Delhi:

Canada on Friday halted its Student Direct Stream (SDS) visa program for international students, amid the country’s attempt to deal with the housing and resource crisis.

The program was implemented in 2018 by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to expedite study permit applications for international students from 14 countries, including Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines and Vietnam . The gdomination of Canada said on its website that the initiative is being halted to “strengthen program integrity, address student vulnerability, and provide all students with equal and fair access to the application process.”

Applications received until 2:00 PM ET on November 8 will be processed, while all applications afterward will be processed under the regular study permit flow.

The program had higher approval rates and faster processing times.

Canada wants to sharply reduce the number of immigrants entering the country for the first time in years, marking a dramatic policy shift for an unpopular government trying to retain power.

Canada, a country that has long prided itself on welcoming newcomers, is now shifting rhetoric toward migrants, leading to a housing crisis from rising costs of living to a strained health care system.

The issue has become one of the most controversial issues in Canadian politics, with a federal election due no later than October 2025. Polls show that a growing share of the population believes Canada has too many immigrants.