Student Direct Stream (SDS) expands to the Americas.
On July 9, 2021, Ottawa announced the expansion of its familiar Student Direct Stream (SDS) program to countries in the Americas. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, Canada recognized that its International Student Program could play a crucial role in the country's economic recovery.
That is why students applying for a study permit can use the Student Direct Stream (SDS) program if they live in the following countries:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Brazil
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Peru
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
The SDS program started in 2018 and is an option to support a faster processing time for eligible post-secondary students.
With the seven additional countries announced today, the Canadian Department of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) now offers the SDS program to students from a total of 14 countries. The seven countries that previously had SDS are:
- China
- India
- Oregon
- Pakistan
- Philippines
- Senegal
- Vietnam
IRCC will continue to expand the SDS program to support Canada's International Education Strategy (2019–2024) and its goal of welcoming more international students from a wider range of countries.
Chart: Number of people holding valid Study Permits by year
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 2018
Chart: International students present in Canadian territories
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 2017