Canada Suspends SDS Visa for International Students Amid Housing Crisis

GG News Bureau
Ottawa, 9th Nov. Canada has suspended its Student Direct Stream (SDS) visa program, designed to streamline study permits for international students from select countries, including India, China, and the Philippines. This decision, announced Friday by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), aims to address pressing national concerns, including housing shortages and resource allocation, and is part of a broader effort to revamp immigration policies as the country grapples with a crisis of affordability and resource management.

Launched in 2018, the SDS program offered quicker visa approvals for students from 14 countries by allowing them faster entry into Canadian institutions.

The decision to discontinue SDS is intended to “strengthen program integrity, address student vulnerability, and ensure fair and equal access for all applicants,” according to IRCC’s website statement. The shift means that students from countries previously covered by SDS will now apply through the regular study permit process, typically involving longer wait times.

The IRCC stated that SDS applications submitted before 2 p.m. ET on November 8 will still be processed under the previous expedited terms. Applications received after this deadline, however, will fall under the standard visa processing system, a shift likely to extend timelines and affect thousands of prospective students, especially from India, where demand for Canadian education has been high.

Canada’s recent move reflects a broader recalibration in immigration policy, as the government confronts rising public concerns about the strain that high immigration rates place on housing, healthcare, and the cost of living.

Traditionally celebrated as a nation open to newcomers, Canada has recently seen increasing public sentiment linking immigration to the housing crisis and stretched public services.

The immigration policy shakeup comes as Canada’s federal election, due by October 2025, looms on the horizon, with opinion polls showing an increasing number of Canadians who believe that immigration levels are too high.