Mobility of the Skilled Workforce: A European Union/Canada Roundtable

Sep
29
2009

When: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 (All day) – Wednesday, September 30, 2009 (All day)

Where: Brussels

The Summary Report for this event is now available for download in our publications section.

This European Union-Canada roundtable, organized in partnership witht he European Centre,  invitation-only event was attended by some 30 Canadians. The meeting examined the evolving policies related to labour mobility, and temporary and permanent migration in Canada and the EU. Discussions also focused on recent developments concerning the recognition of professional qualifications in Canada and the EU. For the final portion of the event, participants explored such topics from the perspective of specific professions, such as engineers, accountants, architects, nurses, pharmacists and skilled trades.

While much useful information was exchanged, ongoing dialogue is needed to expand mutual understanding in light of future changes and the diverse practices among different sectors. As such, it is hoped that the roundtable will serve as a starting point for further discussions to facilitate the mobility of professionals between Canada and Europe, which is particularly important in the context of increased trade and investment between Canada and the EU, and the start of negotiations on forging a closer economic partnership.

Participants included representatives from various professional associations, senior officials from CIC, HRSDC, and DFAIT, as well as the provinces of BC, Ontario and Québec. The EU was represented by a similar number of senior officials from interested Directorates General, including Employment, Internal Market, Education and Culture, Justice, External Affairs, and Trade, as well as representatives from a number of European countries and associations.

For more information please contact Winnie Wong at winnie.wong@ppforum.ca

Backgrounder - Canada

Backgrounder - EU