Canada's popular Student Direct Stream (SDS) visa programme ( 9 November), which allowed quicker processing for international student visas, ended on Saturday, affecting thousands of students, particularly from India.

• The sudden change aligns with the Canadian government’s wider immigration reforms announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in September. 
• India holds the top spot for international students in Canada, with an estimated 4,27,000 Indian students currently enrolled in Canadian institutions, according to the Indian High Commission.
• The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirmed the end of SDS in a Friday statement, saying the goal is to “strengthen programme integrity, address student vulnerability, and give all students equal and fair access to the application process.”