Toronto, Feb 21 : With 226,450 students, India has become the top source of new international students entering Canada in 2022, according to data released by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The North American nation set an immigration record by welcoming 551,405 international students from 184 countries in 2022. India was closely followed by China and the Philippines with 52,165 and 23,380 students, respectively. In 2021, a total of 444,260 new study permits took effect, an increase from the 400,600 in 2019. In 2019, there were 637,860 international students in Canada -- a number which decreased in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and rebounded in 2021 to a total 617,315. India was also among the top 10 source countries of international students already living and studying in Canada as of December 31, 2022, with 319,130 students. According to IRCC, most new study permits are now being processed within the 60-day service standard in Canada. The country, which processed an all-time high of 4.8 million visa applications in 2022, remains a top destination for Indian students due to the standard of education, lower costs, obtaining work, and immigration opportunities post-graduation. Foreign students contribute more than $15.3 billion annually to the economy, according to the Canadian government. Each year tens of thousands of graduates who chose to immigrate permanently to the country become a source of young, educated workers. According to Statistics Canada, international students who get permanent residence tend to integrate quickly into the Canadian labour market due to their previous experience of living in the country on visas. /IANS