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Canada’s latest immigration policies have eliminated the possibility for international students to use their study permits as a stepping stone to permanent residency — a shift from its previous openness to transitioning skilled graduates into long-term residents.
Under the newly implemented regulation, international students will be compelled to return to their countries of origin once their study visas reach expiration. This change eliminates earlier opportunities for those on student permits to transition into permanent residency within Canada.
The government of Canada is bringing an end to the Student Direct Stream (SDS) program, a move coupled with the suspension of asylum applications that are connected to such streamlined immigration processes for international students.
Marc Miller, the Canadian Minister of Immigration, confirmed the policy changes during a Tuesday interview, where he offered insights into the rationale behind the reforms and the obstacles that international students increasingly navigate.
The development follows a series of protests organized by international students nationwide, urging the government to introduce a more efficient system for transitioning from study permits to permanent residency or granting longer stays to address their concerns.
Responding to these demands, Miller said, “When people come here and decide they want to be students, there are no guarantees to become permanent residents.”
Read also: Canada Cancels Automatic 10-yr Multiple-Entry Visa For Nigeria
He emphasized the distinction between study permits and resident permits, stating that while students have a right to protest, the priority of Canada’s immigration policies is to maintain balance and order in the system.
Launched in 2018, the Student Direct Stream (SDS) aimed to fast-track the processing of study permits within 20 days for eligible students from 14 countries.
Over time, it expanded to include students from Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Senegal, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vietnam.
What began as an effort to mitigate political disputes has now been marked for discontinuation, aligning with the revisions in Canada’s evolving immigration policies.
