As of Nov. 8, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) have officially ended the Student Direct Stream (SDS), a program designed to fast-track study permit applications for international students from 14 countries, including India, China, Pakistan, and the Philippines. Alongside this, the Nigeria Student Express (NSE) stream for Nigerian students has also ended.

This change is part of a broader shift in Canada’s immigration and student policies as the country seeks to manage the rising number of international students and address concerns about integrating migrants into the labour market. With the elimination of the SDS, students from these countries will now need to apply for study permits through the standard process, which may take longer.

Lawyer and co-op student in an immigration consultant office in British Columbia, Nathalia Romero explained that while the government’s actions may seem like setbacks for students, they align with the new country’s migration strategy.

“This change is consistent with the current government’s vision of migration. Canada is no longer the flexible, open destination it once was,” she said.

Romero, who has witnessed the evolution of Canada’s immigration policies, emphasized that this move is part of a broader effort to manage the growing number of temporary residents.

“Before, Canada was seen as more flexible compared to countries like Australia and New Zealand in terms of transitioning students to permanent status,” she noted. “However, the challenges of mass migration, including unfilled jobs, housing shortages, and strain on public services, have forced the government to rethink its approach.”

Although Romero recognizes students’ challenges with longer processing times and more stringent requirements, she doesn’t view the policy shift as unfavourable.

“I think it demands the government to improve the efficiency of other processes. Now that there’s no fast track, they’ll need to ensure that other applications are processed more efficiently,” she added.

Despite understanding the necessity of such measures, Romero acknowledged the difficulties these changes pose for students.

“It’s not something I’m happy about, especially for those planning on coming soon. Their chances are now reduced, and it may be harder for them to adapt to the labour market.”

The SDS was launched in 2018 to expedite the study permit process for students from select countries. It allowed for faster processing times and higher approval rates, but it also created disparities in the number of students coming from countries like India compared to others. With its removal, the Canadian government hopes to level the playing field for all applicants, regardless of their country of origin.

“One of the criticisms of the system was the disparity between countries,” Romero explained. “There was an imbalance that could make it harder for students from other nations to integrate. Canada is a multicultural country, but when there is such a numerical difference, it can lead to challenges in social integration. The government wants to address that.”

While Romero understands the reasons behind these changes, she also believes that the government could have implemented them more gradually.

“I think it would have been better if the transition had been slower,” she said. “Many students are now caught in a difficult situation, and it feels like the decision was too quickly.”

She went on to note that, despite the abrupt nature of the change, it may push the government to improve the efficiency of the general application process.

“Now that the fast track is gone, we hope the government will optimize the standard processes to prevent long delays.”

 As Romero pointed out, while these changes may present short-term challenges, they ultimately ensure that students who come to Canada are better prepared to succeed in the labour market.

“This will force students to focus more on building a stronger application,” Romero said. “Which will ultimately benefit both the students and the Canadian economy in the long term.”