Thank you, Madam Chair, and to the committee for providing me with the opportunity to address you this evening. As mentioned, I have the privilege of serving as president and CEO of Mohawk College, based in Hamilton, Ontario. Mohawk is one of the top 10 research colleges in Canada.
Community and industry partners engage our college for workforce development needs, rapid training and our ability to quickly address challenges that are limiting their productivity. We provide students with essential experience, in partnership with researchers, to develop and deploy customized innovations that increase efficiency and give organizations a competitive advantage. These partnerships provide employers with the ability to attract and retain highly skilled and competent workers.
Today, I would like to recommend four ideas that would make a significant and lasting impact on Canadian colleges, our employers and the communities we both serve.
The first relates to international learners. Many cities, like Hamilton, are working to attract and retain international learners as a way to address critical workforce needs. To successfully do so, it's essential that the federal government create the conditions to make Canada a destination of choice for international students. Timely and efficient study visa approvals, as well as ready access to work permits upon graduation, will help ensure Canada attracts the best and the brightest to our communities. Employment incentive programs targeted specifically for international students and graduates will create more immediate opportunities for graduates to establish themselves and contribute to the economy. Incentive programs designed to help international student graduates set up or transition into their own business will also ensure Canada is the destination of choice. These opportunities will motivate international learners to live and settle in the community with their families, buy a property and become a key part of the city’s economy.
The first recommendation, then, is to please continue to find ways to make it easy and efficient for international students to study in Canada, including timely access to study visas and post-graduate work permits, and consider providing targeted incentive programs for employers to hire international students and graduates.
My second recommendation relates to the retention of the workforce. We need to encourage domestic students to settle in the area. As part of their education, many of our learners are involved in work on projects, co-ops and internships with employers, providing meaningful work—