4 new English language tests are approved by the IRCC for the Student Direct Stream.

Four additional language test results will be accepted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for candidates to the Student Direct Stream (SDS).

Starting on August 10, 2023, IRCC will start accepting test results from these four new examinations.

The tests that are now accepted are:

• CAEL 
• PTE Academic 
• CELPIP General
• TOEFL iBT Exam

Results from every test must show proficiency in speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

For each of the four language speaking abilities on the CELPIP general tests, a score that is equivalent to the Canadian Language Benchmark of at least 7 is required.

Results from the academic CAEL and Pearson PTE tests must indicate a minimum score of 60.

A score of 83 is required on the Educational Testing Service (ETS) TOEFL iBT Test.

These assessments must be taken in person by students. Tests that are proctored online or remotely will not be approved for applicants to the SDS.

IELTS General and IELTS Academic were the two tests that the IRCC had previously approved for SDS applicants.

What is SDS?

Students from particular nations can expedite the processing of their study permits through the SDS. Students who are legal residents of the following countries are eligible: Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Colombia, India, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, or Vietnam.

Canada has a service standard of 20 days for all applications for study permits that qualify for SDS.

The SDS was introduced in 2018 and is especially well-liked by foreign students from India.

Who is qualified for SDS?

Students who meet this requirement must also be legal residents of the following countries:

• supply a copy of the DLI’s (Designated Learning Institution) letter of admission;
• provide proof of the applicant’s initial medical examination;
• demonstrate that they have a $10,000 Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC);
• demonstrate that the first year’s tuition has been paid;
• demonstrate an IELTS score of 6 in English or an NCLC score of 7 in French obtained within two years of the SDS application being received; and
• at a Visa Application Centre (VAC), submit the application.

Today, there are more than 800,000 foreign students living in Canada.
At the end of 2022, according to the IRCC, Canada was home to more than 800,000 international students, a record for the nation. Several national and international factors have contributed to the quadrupling of the number of international students in Canada since 2008. For a variety of economic, social, and cultural reasons, the Canadian government and DLIs have increased their efforts to attract international students domestically. The expansion of the global middle class has contributed to an increase in the number of overseas students worldwide.