Canada Makes ‘Harsh’ Announcement On Study Permits Conversion By Foreign Students

Canada has recently implemented new immigration policies that scrapped the option for international students to convert their study permits into permanent residency.

Naija News understands that under these regulations, international students are now required to return to their home countries once their study visas expire, effectively ending previous provisions that permitted non-citizens with study permits to apply for permanent residency.

Also, Canada is discontinuing the Student Direct Stream (SDS) program and ceasing asylum claims associated with these immigration routes.

Marc Miller, the Minister of Immigration for Canada, confirmed this change during an interview on Tuesday, where he addressed the country’s immigration policies and the difficulties encountered by international students.

This announcement comes in the wake of recent protests by international students throughout Canada, who have called for a more efficient process for transitioning from study permits to permanent residency or for an extension of their stay.

In response to these demands, Miller said, “When people come here and decide they want to be students, there are no guarantees of becoming permanent residents.”

He highlighted the difference between study permits and resident permits, noting that while students are entitled to express their dissent, the primary focus of Canada’s immigration policies is to uphold balance and order within the system.

Initiated in 2018, the Student Direct Stream (SDS) was designed to expedite the processing of study permits to within 20 days for qualified students from 14 nations.

Over the years, it has been broadened to encompass students from Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, the Philippines, Senegal, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Vietnam.

Originally established to alleviate political tensions, this program will now be phased out as part of Canada’s updated immigration strategy.