A member asked about current processing times for non-SDS study permit applications. Two members shared concrete examples:
- One applicant applied on April 5 and received a decision on April 10 — about 5 days.
- Another applicant was rejected on their first non-SDS attempt, reapplied, and got an answer within about 5 days both times.
Historical note — treat these numbers as anecdotes, not a guarantee. These are individual, undated data points from a specific past period; non-SDS processing times fluctuate significantly by intake volume, applicant's country, and IRCC's current backlog. Always check IRCC's official published processing time estimator for the most current figures rather than relying on old thread anecdotes.
The broader pattern worth taking from the thread: non-SDS applicants can sometimes get a fast decision (days, not months), but a rejection doesn't mean the door is closed — reapplying after addressing the rejection reason is a normal path some applicants used successfully.