Building stronger connections between skills development, industry demand and fair international recruitment is essential to ensuring that cross-border workforce mobility creates opportunities for workers while responding to employers' needs.
The International Labour Organization (ILO) brought this perspective to the Team Canada Trade Mission to India in October 2026, facilitated by Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) and the Indo-Canadian Business Chamber (ICBC). The engagement took place under the ILO project Promoting Safe Employment Pathways and Fair Recruitment Practices (PSP), funded by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
As part of the mission, representatives of CICan engaged with Indian industry stakeholders at roundtables in Mumbai on 13 October and Bengaluru on 15 October 2026. Discussions focused on workforce skills gaps and opportunities for collaboration between Canadian colleges and institutes and Indian companies.
Participants explored the role of technical and vocational education and training in preparing workers for evolving labour market needs. Discussions centred on industry-led training and micro-credentials, health workforce development, digital and artificial intelligence skills, Industry 4.0, and applied research and innovation between industry and colleges.
The engagement also provided an opportunity to consider how closer cooperation between educational institutions and employers could help bridge the gap between training provision and workplace requirements, while keeping decent work and the protection of workers' rights central to international cooperation.
Through its participation, the ILO brought the perspective of its PSP project to the discussions, highlighting the connections between skills development and recognition, workforce mobility and responsible recruitment.
The PSP project's focus on safe employment pathways and fair recruitment provided a framework for considering how skills partnerships can complement efforts to improve transparency, strengthen worker protection and promote better-informed decisions throughout the recruitment process.
The engagement underscored the importance of viewing skills partnerships not only as a means of addressing talent shortages, but also as an opportunity to promote fairer and more sustainable approaches to international workforce mobility.
