Canada has ended the Student Direct Stream (SDS). This program was introduced by IRCC in 2018 to provide expedited study permit processing from select countries, including the key sending countries of India and China.
Applicants opting for the SDS route were subject to requirements beyond those in the regular non-SDS study permit application. These requirements included a language test result.
Moving forward, all students must apply through the regular study permit stream.
Notably, the regular study permit stream does not require a language test score. It merely requires a letter of acceptance from an institution. Institutions set their own language test requirements and issue the LOA once applicants have fulfilled them.
In terms of language testing, one imagines that this change will generate business for Duolingo’s DET, which is widely accepted by schools across the country but was not accepted for use in the SDS stream. It may reduce volumes of more expensive tests like the TOEFL, PTE and IELTS, scores from which were accepted as part of the SDS stream.
I suppose, though, that one should keep an eye on the specific requirements of the student permit program. Perhaps a language test requirement will be added in the future.
Note that the Nigeria Student Express program has also been eliminated. It was similar to the SDS.