Student Direct Stream Program in Canada

Content Writer - Study Abroad | Updated On - Sep 19, 2024

Getting a student visa is the most tough and lengthy process in your study abroad journey. Depending upon countries, it can take up to 6–8 weeks to get a student visa. Well, for Canada, you can get your visa application processed within 20 calendar days. Canada has introduced a new visa process named Student Direct Stream or SDS Canada. The IRCC Canada (Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada) has introduced it to make the visa application process smoother for Indian and other students. You can get your Canada student visa within 2–3 weeks if applied through the Student Direct Stream.

To be eligible for SDS Canada, you must have a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of 20,000 CAD from any bank insured by the Canadian Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC) or any bank listed on the IRCC SDS website. You also need to have a provincial attestation letter (PAL) or territorial attestation letter (TAL) from a DLI to apply for a study permit under the SDS process. An application fee of 150 CAD is also needed. More details are described in the sections below.

What is a GIC (Guaranteed Investment Certificate)

A Guaranteed Investment Certificate or GIC is an interest-paying deposit account, offered by leading Canadian banks and financial institutions. In this scheme, you have to deposit 20,000 CAD in any of the eligible banks and the bank will give you monthly interest for your investment. This is a great tool for international students in Canada to cover living expenses and other essential expenses. Interest rates vary from bank to bank and institution to institution. Some of the banks are

Bank of China (Canada)
Bank of Montreal
Bank of Nova Scotia
Habib Canadian Bank
ICICI Bank, Canada
Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Canada)
National Bank of Canada
Royal Bank of Canada
SBI Canada Bank
Shinhan Bank Canada

What is DLI (Designated Learning Institution)

A DLI is a provincial or territorial government-approved school that hosts international students in Canada. Note, that all the primary and secondary schools in Canada are approved for DLI. If you are going to Canada to attend a post-secondary institution, make sure to check that the school is listed as a DLI on the IRCC website. These DLIs also help in offering a Post Graduation Work permit (PGWP).

Eligibility Criteria for Student Direct Stream

The eligibility criteria to apply for SDS Canada are stated below

Acceptance from a post-secondary designated learning institution (DLI)
English language proficiency
- IELTS Academic: 6.0
- IELTS General: 7
- PTE: 60
- TOEFL iBT: 83
- CAEL: 60
Apply from outside of Canada
Proof of tuition fee payment for your first year of study
Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of 20,000 CAD
Attestation of issuance of your Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) from the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (if you are planning to study in Quebec)
Have a medical exam before you apply (if needed)
Get a police clearance certificate before applying (if needed)
Transcripts of your most recent secondary or post-secondary education

Documents Required to Apply for SDS Canada

To apply for a study permit through SDS Canada, you need to have the following documents

Academic transcripts of secondary and post-secondary education
Copy of acceptance from a DLI
Copy of your medical examination
A proof of GIC of 20,000 CAD
Proof of English language proficiency
Identify proof
Family information form (if required).
Temporary Resident Visa application form (if required).

To study in Canada, apply through the SDS program to get a visa within 2–3 weeks. Once your visa is approved, you can make all the necessary arrangements to get into the country. Students from only 14 countries, including India, are eligible to apply for the student direct stream program.