Canada welcomes record 226,450 Indian students in 2022
Darpan News Desk IANS, 21 Feb, 2023 11:30 AM
Toronto, Feb 21 (IANS) 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.
Labour Minister Harry Bains introduced a bill in the legislature today, saying the holiday will be observed this September and every Sept. 30 afterwards. He says the B.C. holiday follows the federal government's decision in 2021 to declare Sept. 30 a national truth and reconciliation holiday for its workers.
In October, the regional district said the reservoir — which serves about 90 per cent of residents in the area — was at risk of "imminent exhaustion" as southern B.C. recorded an unseasonably dry summer and warm fall.
The government's throne speech, read by Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin in the legislature today, outlines a political agenda for the coming months that includes a plan to support people amid rising costs now and in the long term.
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A police news release says the suspect ran after hitting the victim and took the axe with him. Officers, with help from police dog services, searched for the suspect but were unsuccessful.
Aryan Prakash was last seen on Friday, February 3rd at 1:00pm in the 5600 block of Arcadia Rd, Richmond. He may be or has been in the area of Nassau Dr/Victoria Dr in Vancouver.
