The Student Direct Stream (SDS) — Canada's fast-track study permit route — closed on 8 November 2024. If you are still being told to "apply through SDS", that advice is out of date. Here is what replaced it, what you actually need now, and the mistakes that still cause refusals for Bangladeshi applicants.
1. What SDS Was — and Why It Ended
SDS was a streamlined study permit route for students from a specific list of countries, including Bangladesh. Applicants who met a fixed set of conditions — an upfront GIC, first-year tuition paid in full, IELTS 6.0 in each band and an upfront medical — received much faster processing than the regular stream.
IRCC closed the stream on 8 November 2024, saying the change was intended to strengthen programme integrity and give all applicants equal access to study permit processing. Applications received after that date and time are processed as regular study permits.
2. What the Process Looks Like Now
The steps have not changed much — what changed is that there is no longer a guaranteed fast lane, and the GIC and full-tuition prepayment are no longer mandatory conditions.
| Phase | Task | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Get your Letter of Acceptance from a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) | Must be a DLI, and PGWP-eligible if you want to work after |
| Step 2 | Get your Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL) | Still required for most applicants. Master's and doctoral programmes at public DLIs starting on or after 1 January 2026 are exempt |
| Step 3 | Prove your funds | CAD 22,895 for a single applicant outside Quebec, in addition to first-year tuition and travel |
| Step 4 | Language test | Set by your university — there is no longer an SDS-imposed 6.0-in-each-band rule |
| Step 5 | Medical exam with a panel physician in Dhaka | Upfront medicals can still save time |
| Step 6 | Submit online via the IRCC portal, then biometrics at VFS Dhaka | Apply as early as you can before your intake |
3. Current Study Permit Checklist
- ✅ Letter of Acceptance from a DLI
- ✅ Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL/TAL), unless your programme is exempt
- ✅ Proof of funds — CAD 22,895 for a single applicant outside Quebec, plus first-year tuition and travel costs
- ✅ Language test results meeting your university's requirement
- ✅ Medical exam from an approved panel physician
- ✅ Valid passport
- ✅ Digital photo meeting IRCC specifications
- ✅ Statement of Purpose
- ✅ Academic transcripts and certificates
4. What Changed When SDS Closed
| Factor | Under SDS (until Nov 2024) | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Processing | ~20 calendar days target | Regular processing — check IRCC's live tool |
| Language test | 6.0 in each band, mandatory | Whatever your university requires |
| GIC | Mandatory | Not mandatory — still accepted as proof of funds |
| Tuition upfront | Full first year, mandatory | Not mandatory, though prepayment still strengthens a file |
| Medical upfront | Mandatory | Optional, but recommended |
5. Top 5 Mistakes That Still Cause Refusals
- Following SDS-era advice. Agents and blog posts still describe SDS as if it exists. Anything promising a 20-day Canadian study permit is out of date.
- Using an old funds figure. The requirement is CAD 22,895 for a single applicant outside Quebec, raised from CAD 20,635 on 1 September 2025 — and from CAD 10,000 before 2024.
- Forgetting the PAL/TAL. Still required for most applicants. Check whether your programme is exempt before assuming.
- Ignoring PGWP eligibility. If you want to work after graduating, confirm your programme qualifies. Field-of-study rules apply to non-degree programmes; any bachelor's, master's or doctoral degree is exempt from that requirement.
- A weak Statement of Purpose. With no fast-track stream to fall back on, the strength of your file matters more than ever.
Not sure what your file needs now that SDS is gone?
Walk in to our Chattogram office with your language test result and university offer. We'll tell you exactly what your application needs under the current rules — free.
Get a Free File Check →6. FAQ
IRCC has not announced any plan to reinstate it. Treat SDS as permanently closed and apply through the regular study permit route.
There is no fixed answer — IRCC's estimates change regularly. Check the official processing times tool for a current figure and apply as early as possible before your intake.
No. The GIC was an SDS condition. It is still accepted as proof of funds and many students still use one because it is a clean way to evidence the CAD 22,895 requirement, but it is no longer compulsory.
Not as a visa requirement. That was an SDS rule. Your university sets the English requirement now — but a stronger score still helps your overall file.
Yes, if you use one. It is your own money, released to you in instalments after you arrive in Canada.
Yes. But if you want a post-graduation work permit afterwards, non-degree programmes must be in an eligible field of study. Bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees are exempt from that requirement.