IRCC has made some changes in the Canada Student Direct Stream so that candidates would be able to easily immigrate to Canada. From 10 August, 2023, students don’t need to score a minimum of 6 Bands in each section of IELTS. Instead, if they score at least 6 IELTS Band overall, they would still be eligible.
Changes in IELTS Test Score
From 10th August, students applying for the Student Direct Stream (SDS) to get a Canada study permit do not need to get a 6 IELTS band score in individual sections. In place of that, if they even score 6 bands in total, that would be enough for them to get a study permit.
These changes are only for the IELTS Academics. This means candidates applying for the IELTS General Training have got nothing to do with these changes.
Download Free Immigration and PR Guide PDF
So, if you are applying for SDS after 10 August, you need to score 6 Bands in each section of the IELTS Academic test results.
As mentioned, for those applying through IELTS General Training, they are still going to require at least a 6 band score in each section.
How would it benefit candidates?
This change will really help those wanting to study in Canada as they now don’t have to aim for higher scores and get disappointed if they don’t score that much. Also, now, candidates would benefit from faster study permit application processing. And this is the reason why Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced these changes.
Apart from IELTS, IRCC also accepts other English language proficiency tests for SDS. These tests are: PTE, TOEFL, CAEL.
Student Direct Stream
The Canada Student Direct Stream allows international students to study in Canada on a study permit. Though the usual application processing time of Student Direct Stream is 20 calendar days, some students from certain countries may get a study permit faster.
Eligibility Criteria
The following eligibility criteria needs to be met if the applicant wants their application to be accepted. These requirements are:
- Proof of a valid language test
- Proof of first year of study fee submission
- Latest secondary/post-secondary educational qualification
- Proof of a Guaranteed Investment Certificate of $10,000 (Canadian Dollars)
- Letter of Acceptance from a post-secondary DLI
- Proof of medical examination
These documents are a must to submit when applying for a study permit from Student Direct Stream. Also, the immigration officer must be convinced that the study permit applicant will leave Canada once their stay ends.
Don’t forget to fill the form below to get some insights and advice from our experts!
