Student Direct Stream expands to more countries

Starting July 9, 2021, applicants living from the following countries can now apply for a study permit under the Student Direct Stream (SDS):
• Peru
• Colombia
• Brazil
• Costa Rica
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Trinidad and Tobago
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines

As per Canadian immigration, faster applications for study permits coming from the candidates living in the said countries can now be an option. They believe that Canada’s International Student Program can play a major role in the country’s economy that was greatly affected by the global pandemic.

It was in the year 2018 when the Student Direct Stream program was launched with a goal to support faster processing for all eligible post-secondary students who wanted to study in Canada. Through this program, immigration officers were able to quickly make a rigorous assessment and provide a final decision as SDS applicants can easily provide additional information.

As announced by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada, they are now offering Student Direct Stream to all students in over 14 countries and are said to continue expanding the SDS to support the country’s International Education Strategy (2019-2024) supporting its goal of welcoming more international students.

All international students that are currently living abroad and sought to resume their studies in person will surely encounter struggles traveling back to Canada. Returning students must follow the COVID-19 readiness plan that is imposed by their Designated Learning Institution (DLI) that includes undergoing quarantine for 14 days upon arrival in Canada. In connection to this, all returning students are also required to submit their vaccination details using the ArriveCAN app before traveling to Canada. Exemption from quarantine as required by border services is only applied to those who were able to meet Canada’s criteria as a fully vaccinated traveler.