SDS Visa or the Student Direct Stream Visa has been cancelled from being utilised by the students from India and some other countries. This article is intended to check how much this process might affect students from India who is building up their dream and are already on the process of getting into a Canadian University or College for studies.
What is SDS Visa for students going to Canada?
SDS Visa was introduced to streamline the study visa’s of students from countries like India, Pakistan, China, Brazil, Philippines. Since numerous amount of students were coming to Canada for their studies, Canada made an easier process which minimises the paper works, eligibility restrictions and some other stuffs which helped the students to speed up their process faster. Many of the students are from the above mentioned countries but not limited to them. SDS Visa is also applicable to students from Antigua and Barbuda, Colombia, Costa Rica, Morocco, Peru, Senegal, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago and Vietnam.
How did SDS Visa Worked compared to the normal Visa application process?
A Normal VISA Application includes all the routine formalities common to every type of VISA issued by Canada to every kind of applicants. No matter whether it is a Dependent Visa, Travel or Tourist Visa, Work Visa or Temporary Visa.
Since, students are young and less prone to many of the criteria that a normal VISA application might need, Canada brought up the SDS program to fasten the process. Through this, students who weren’t in need of many unnecessary documentation and procedures were supported with a faster approval time.
Why did Canada cancel the SDS Program for Students from India and other countries?
The reason behind the decision is not yet unclear but we can easily assume the reasons. The government need to reduce the number of students coming to their country. They cannot simply halt up all the students coming nor destroy their own education industry and loose a big part of GDP via Foreign Investments. Instead, they are stalling the entire process by making the procedures and incoming of foreign students to wait more time.
Canada is trying to gain more time to solve their internal problems associated with the stability of economy, price hike and lack of budget accommodations.
What are the expected changes that will delay the VISA Process of a students from India?
There are some expected changes and fresh changes to be expected. Expected changes are the common differences of SDS Visa with a normal Visa. These common differences will be most probably add to the cafeterias for a Visa from now on.
What are the possible expected changes for student from India?
Stricter valuation on IELTS or other language proficiency tests
Let’s consider that the IELTS score required by a students to be eligible for any course in Canada is 6 out of 10 right now. There are few colleges that accepts students with a 5.5 grade point, while certain universities have a standard to accept only students with a 6.5 grade point.
It is expected that, in coming years of soon, there will be a hike in this points required. Students are expected to obtain a 7 grade point in Universities and 6.5 in private colleges. By this, Canada is trying to eliminate students with less language skills and pertaining the students with higher language skills and improving the language quality of the residents effectively.
Police Clearance Certificate (PCC)
Police Clearance Certificates (PCC) were and are only necessary for people who are going for work in Canada. But due to the insurgent situations arising and evidence of students being part of protests or certain organisational affiliations, it is most likely that the government is going to introduce it as an eligibility for Study VISAs.
If any students who has a petty case or complaints registered against them will not receive a PCC with good remarks. Even though they have been acquitted from them, the police clearance certificate might reflect their activities of past. This will be used by the Canadian authorities to use as an excuse to reject the application by a students.
But, no worries for students who haven’t been involved in any unauthorised activities, it will fine and can pass it with a green signal. It is highly recommended that, a students no matter what should apply for a PCC from the nearest Police Station and obtain it before leaving to Canada. It will be received within 3-4 weeks tops. Even if it isn’t required, you will not loose time because of it whence it become a necessary criteria amidst your application process.
Financial documentation – GIC, CAC
For most of the students applying for a study visa, the Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) was the only financial criteria. But from now on, the CAC (Chartered Accountant Certificate) Can also become a criteria to ensure the verification of assets in Home country.
CAC is being asked for people whoa re going to Canada under Work Visa or Spousal dependent Visa as a contingency strategy that ensure the people will one day go back to their respective home country rather than trying to settle forever in Canada. It is also assumed that, the availability of enough assets in home country will be moved to Canada if in case the person or student or their family settle in Canada, effectively increasing the wealth of Canada.
Slower Processing and More time
Through SDS Visa a students used to get their VISAs issued in a minimum of 20 days without nay other effective delays. However, due to the recent changes and cancellation of SDS Visa, the processes required to approve a Visa will get complicated and will increase the processing time. This in fact will increase the approval time for a Visa.
Many students are expected to either defer their particular intakes or entirely cancel their plans since many of them might be at the brink of IELTS Expiry or other due dates.
Official reason for the cancellation of SDS VISA
The official response to this decision by the government of Canada is to justify the necessity of creating equal opportunities for students coming from all over the world. Instead of favouring students from any particular countries, every student who wants to come to Canada for studies should go through the same procedures from now on.
As a matter of Fact, the Nigeria Student Express (NSE) program which favoured students from Nigeria coming to Canada for studies has also been cancelled. It is assumed by the professionals in this sector that, Canada is trying to decentralise the accumulation of student population from any particular nation.
Right now, foreign students in Canada is mostly comprised of students from India and China, which is almost equal to 40 percentage from both countries each, comprising a big majority of 80% of the foreign student population in Canada either being an India or Chinese. Then comes the third and fourth majorities of students from Nigeria and Philippines.
By the cancellation of SDS Visa and NSE Visa program, Canada is trying to reduce the intake of students from the above said countries and focus more on the whole international spectrum. They are aiming to reduce the creation of a majority among students based on their nationality and increase the quality of education by selecting more students from all the countries based on the merits and behaviour to suit Canada’s needs, culture and nation.
Who will not be affected by this change?
Students who are eligible by all means, highly skilled in language and talents, who can improve their skills and abilities upon receiving education are most likely to be not affected by this decision. May be the requirements for more documents and increment in processing time might delay the process, but it will not permanently halt the dream of a student to study and settle in Canada.
Students who have scored at least 7 band in IELTS or equivalent is least likely to be affected. Students who are already preparing or have prepared a CAC and PCC are less likely to be affected.
However, the processing times and delays in getting a VISA will equally affect every student all over the world irrespective of the eligibility or criteria they have fulfilled.