An Indian citizen living in Poland planned to lodge his study permit application from Poland rather than India, and wanted to know whether he could still open a GIC, or what financial proof to use instead — since a Canadian bank couldn't give him a clear answer over the phone.
What the group clarified:- Check whether your country of application (not your citizenship) is on the SDS list. The Student Direct Stream, which requires a GIC, is tied to the country you're applying from.
- Poland is not an SDS country, so this applicant would need to apply under the regular (non-SDS) stream — meaning a GIC is not the applicable financial-proof route for him.
- Under the non-SDS route, standard proof of funds (bank statements, sufficient balance in an account — the figure discussed was roughly USD/CAD 10,000, though you should confirm current requirements) is used instead of a GIC.
Practical takeaway:- SDS eligibility depends on where you're lodging your application from, not your nationality — always confirm your specific application country against the current SDS list before assuming you need (or can use) a GIC.
- If you're applying non-SDS, prepare standard proof-of-funds documentation (bank statements) rather than trying to open a GIC that won't apply to your stream.