Federal Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Hon. Ahmed Hussen, hosted a roundtable Thursday, Aug. 15 with a handful of students and staff from Brock International.

It was an opportunity for him to get feedback on the systems in place for those coming from around the world to study in Canada.

“International students are really important to Canada,” said Hussen, who was joined at the roundtable by Member of Parliament for St. Catharines Chris Bittle, Brock President Gervan Fearon and Provost and Vice-President, Academic Greg Finn. “They enrich our classrooms and add so much to our economy. We have to listen to them directly to see what more we can do to help them integrate into our communities as they study here.”

The questions raised focused on the processes in place to help international students once they’re in Canada, and how the process to get post-graduate work permits could be simplified.

“Our government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, has done a lot to attract the best and the brightest from around the world and stay here to help grow the Canadian economy,” said Hussen.

Leigh-Ellen Keating, Director, Brock International, called the roundtable an “excellent opportunity.”

“It is of great value to students coming to Niagara from around the world being able to meet face-to-face with the Minister of Immigration,” she said.