In a major shift in Canada’s immigration policy, the country has closed the pathway for international students to transition from study permits to permanent residency. This move has raised concerns, especially among students from Nigeria, who have long viewed Canada as a potential destination for higher education and long-term settlement.
The change, confirmed by Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Marc Miller, mandates that international students return to their home countries once their study permits expire, effectively ending the possibility of easily staying in Canada as permanent residents after completing their studies. This comes after several months of protests by international students across the country, including some from Nigeria, who were demanding a more straightforward process for gaining permanent residency or extending their stay after their studies.
Miller responded to the protests by clarifying that studying in Canada does not automatically guarantee a path to permanent residency. While international students are welcome to voice their concerns, he emphasized that the priority of Canada’s immigration policies is to maintain balance and order in the system. He made it clear that there is a distinction between study permits, which are temporary, and permanent residency, which is a separate process requiring different criteria.
This shift also means the end of the Student Direct Stream (SDS), a program introduced in 2018 that aimed to speed up the study permit process for students from select countries. Nigerian students, along with others from countries like India, China, and the Philippines, had benefited from this initiative, which allowed for faster processing of their study permits in just 20 days. However, the SDS program is now being discontinued as part of the revised immigration framework.
For Nigerian students, this development brings a new layer of uncertainty. Many had hoped that studying in Canada would offer them a route to permanent residency, but with this change, they will now have to explore other options, like securing work permits or qualifying through different immigration streams, if they wish to remain in Canada after their studies.
This policy update signals a shift in Canada’s approach to immigration, and it could impact the future of international students who have long considered Canada a top choice for higher education and permanent settlement. For Nigerian students specifically, it’s a wake-up call that studying in Canada no longer guarantees a pathway to stay long-term, and the need to plan accordingly has never been more important.
