GERMAN DELEGATION AND MINISTERS VISIT COSTI'S EMPLOYMENT SERVICE

Focus on Employment and Skills Programs that Address the Labour Shortage by Matching Client Skills to Industry-Specific Pathways to Employment

On March 21st, COSTI was honoured to host a German delegation with Ministers Nancy Faeser, the Federal Minister of the Interior and Community, Hubertus Heil, the Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, and Prof. Dr. Lars Castellucci, Member of Parliament and acting head of Committee for Interior Affairs and Community. Their teams arrived at COSTI’s Employment Services 2301 Keele Street, Suite 102, to learn first-hand best practices in employing skilled immigrants to meet the current labour shortage. COSTI appreciates that the global labour shortage requires sharing of best practices and knowledge mobilization across jurisdictions. Staff provided the delegation with an overview of employment services and innovative programs.

COSTI is one of Canada’s leading settlement and social impact agencies and has a 70-year history in supporting communities with a wide range of services and supports. The Employment Services division enables employment by providing job search skills; skills training, application assistance and job placements across its five centres in Brampton, Mississauga, Toronto, and Vaughan, helping individuals including citizens, mature workers, newcomers, and youth.

COSTI provided an overview of employment and skills training program, identifying how skilled immigrants are best supported to meet labour market needs and highlighted program innovations in hospitality certification and information technology.

“At COSTI, our goal is to accelerate economic security by ensuring clients’ skills are matched with the needs of the Canadian labour market. We are fortunate to have a wealth of global talent in Canada and our strong settlement, employment and skills training programs help build a prosperous and strong Canada”, said COSTI’s Chief Executive Officer, Samina Sami. “Our employment programs provide win-win scenarios for clients and employers, and we are especially pleased that we are sharing knowledge internationally with our German colleagues to help inform our collective work moving forward.”

“Canada’s integration policy is among the most successful in the world. We would like to learn from our Canadian friends and to hear what has proven most effective to ensure the integration of migrants. COSTI’s work can serve as an excellent example also for us in Germany,” said Nancy Faeser, Federal Minister of the Interior and Community.

“Migration is not only a labour market topic - it’s about people. COSTI Immigration Service provides comprehensive support for immigrants and plays an essential role in helping them integrate quickly and successfully into Canada. The range of support services is impressive and can serve as a good example for the similar offerings we have in Germany “, said Hubertus Heil, Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs.

"Regulating immigration well and reconciling arrival and living together WILL decide whether we can maintain our prosperity in Germany. We want to become a better integration country and look forward to suggestions that we receive on our journey", said Prof. Dr. Lars Castellucci, Member of Parliament and acting head of Committee for Interior Affairs and Community.