The Canadian government has announced that it will be including international students from Pakistan in its Student Direct Stream (SDS) program. This will enable Pakistani students to get a student visa in ‘less than three weeks’.
The program was initiated last year for students from the Philippines, China, India, and Vietnam.
“The Student Direct Stream (SDS) is now available to study permit applicants who are living in Pakistan,” reads the press release. It adds that most SDS applications from countries part of the program are processed within three weeks.
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SDS applications require prospective students to provide more up-front information to officers, including meeting language test requirements in English or French and providing additional information that shows their ability to finance their education. With additional information, officers can process applications more efficiently.
International students who graduate in Canada usually become eligible for a post-graduation work permit, which will allow them to stay in the country if the want to.
With a Canadian education and skilled work experience in Canada, former international students are well-positioned for success in applying for permanent residence through Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Program or the Atlantic Immigration Pilot.
According to the press release, around 54,000 former students became permanent residents in 2018, marking an all-time high for Canada.
How to Apply
You have to apply online to get the study permit under the SDS program, as there is no paper application. You will need to sign up here to start the application process. Your application can take up to five days to appear on your account, if you are unable to see it after five days, report the error to tech support.
To apply for the fast track study permit, you will need to submit an acceptance letter from a post-secondary designated learning institution in Canada, a school approved by the government to host international students. You will also have to furnish proof that you have paid the tuition fee for the first year of study.
Other documents required for the application include a Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) of CAN$10,000, medical and police certificates, secondary or post-secondary school transcript, and a language test result with a minimum 6.0 score on International English Language Testing System (IELTS) in each skill.
You may need to submit other documents as well, as required by the visa office.
