A pilot programme by Citizenship and Immigration Canada has rapidly reduced the length of time Indian students must wait for a visa to study.

The collaboration between Canada’s visa offices in India and the Association of Canadian Community Colleges has also succeeded in increasing the visa approval rate from 27% to 87%.

The fast-track programme for applicants only came into place 9 months ago but the immediate effect for Indian applicants is obvious. Under the previous system many students had to wait for up to 8 months for a visa decision, with many receiving disappointing responses. Dharam Pratap Singh, a student at Centennial College, described the situation for many Indian students as “a year lost.”

The new system has slashed waiting times, with the average visa application process now taking 2 and a half weeks rather than 8 months. The programme is proving popular in both India and Canada; students appreciate the faster turn-around time, whilst colleges have praised the programme for helping Canada compete with other popular student destinations like the US, UK and Australia. International students are also a great benefit to the Canadian economy, having created an estimated 83,000 jobs and generating $6.5bn.

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