A member's brother was refused a study visa under SDS with the generic "won't leave Canada" reason, and planned to reapply under non-SDS. In the discussion, it emerged their elder brother is already a Canadian PR holder, raising the question of whether family ties in Canada like this could be a contributing factor in study permit refusals.
What the thread surfaced:- You can reapply under non-SDS after an SDS refusal — this wasn't disputed and appears to be standard practice.
- Having an immediate family member (like an elder sibling) already settled as a PR in Canada was raised as a potential factor that could work against you in a study permit application, since it can be read by an officer as reducing your likelihood of returning home after studies.
- This wasn't conclusively resolved in the thread, but it's a real consideration worth addressing directly and proactively in your SOP if it applies to your situation — rather than leaving an officer to draw their own conclusions about the connection.
The practical takeaway: if you're reapplying after a "won't leave Canada" refusal and have an immediate family member already established as a PR in Canada, address that tie directly and thoughtfully in your SOP rather than ignoring it — it's a plausible factor behind generic refusals like this.