Student Direct Stream (SDS)

Student Direct Stream (SDS) was introduced by IRCC in June 2018 as a way to expedite and streamline study permit applications for international students who wish to come to Canada and pursue higher education at an eligible post-secondary designated learning institution (DLI).

SDS is currently only applicable to residents of the following countries:

• China
• India
• Morocco
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• Senegal
• Vietnam

At the time of application, prospective applicants must be residing in one of those countries.

Under SDS, study permit applications get processed within approximately a month assuming that the officer won’t be requesting for additional documents or information throughout the process.

To apply for a study permit under SDS, the applicant must include the following items with the application along with standard required documents and forms:

1. Proof of a valid language test result, completed within 2 years of the date the SDS application was received, showing either of the following:
   • an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.0 or higher in each language skill: listening, reading, writing and speaking.
   • a Test d’Evaluation de Français (TEF) score that is equivalent to a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) score of at least 7 for each ability: at least 310 for speaking, 249 for listening, 207 for reading and 310 for writing.
   
   
2. Proof of a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of CAN$10,000 or more from any bank insured by the Canadian Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC) or any bank listed on the IRCC SDS web page.
   
   The GIC must meet the following criteria:
   • When the GIC has been purchased, the bank provides a letter of attestation, the GIC certificate, the Investment Directions Confirmation or the Investment Balance Confirmation to the applicant.
   • The bank holds the funds in an investment account or a student account that is inaccessible for release to the applicant until the applicant’s arrival in Canada.
   • Upon entry to Canada, the bank must validate the client’s identity before releasing funds to the study permit holder.
   • The applicant receives an initial disbursement upon identifying themselves, and the remaining funds are disbursed in monthly or bimonthly installments over a period of 10 to 12 months.
   
   
3. Proof of full payment of tuition for the applicant’s first year of study through:
   • an official receipt from the DLI.
   • an official letter from the DLI confirming payment of tuition fees.
   • a receipt from a bank showing that tuition fees have been paid to the DLI.
   • proof that the tuition fee amount has been transferred into a repository account at the DLI to be applied to the tuition bill at a later date.
   
   
4. Letter of acceptance from a post-secondary DLI
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5. Proof of completion of upfront medical examination from am IRCC approved panel physician:
   • those who have lived or travelled for 6 months in designated countries or territories during the year before coming to Canada.
   • those whose field of study requires upfront medical examination results.

Once the application is approved, the applicant will receive a letter of introduction from the Government of Canada. Letter of introduction is NOT a study permit, but a confirmation of the approval of the application. This letter must be presented to the immigration officer when entering Canada and only then the study permit will be issued.

Please be aware that if the proposed educational institution is located in Quebec, applicants must apply for a CAQ (Certificat d'acceptation du Québec) before the application for a study permit is made.

Canadian study permits are usually issued for the length of the applicant’s studies plus 90 days as long as the passport validity allows for the permit to be issued to that duration. Study permits are never issued beyond the validity of the passport.

Most study permits authorize the applicant to work on and off campus for up to 20 hours a week during regular school terms, and full-time during breaks. Please note the remarks and observations mentioned on the bottom of the permit.

In most cases, study permit holders can bring their spouse and child(ren) with them to Canada.  Family members then qualify for an open work permit and study permit, valid for the same duration of the main applicant’s study permit. This is only applicable if the applicant is coming to a public post-secondary institution outside of Quebec. In Quebec, any post-secondary institution allows applicants’ dependents to apply for permits.

Study permit is a document that allows the applicant to live, study and work in Canada. For programs that have a co-op component, applicants must obtain a separate co-op work permit before the start of the co-op placement.

Study permit is not an entry document: applicants must ensure to have a valid TRV or ETA if traveling outside of Canada.

If you are interested in this program and needs assistance from a Study Permit Immigration Lawyer to assist you with your application, look no further and contact UL Lawyers today. You can reach us via telephone or WhatsApp at 1-905-744-8888 or contact us via email at info@ullaw.ca