Senior leaders from policy, business and international institutions are set to discuss critical labour market concerns at the World Employment Confederation’s Annual Conference next week, during an era of global transformation and disruption never-before-seen.
Taking place on 12-13 May in Toronto and entitled ‘Grow With Talent’, this year’s World Employment Conference – co-organised by the World Employment Confederation and ACSESS – the Association of Canadian Search, Employment and Staffing Services – arrives at a time of profound economic uncertainty. This gathering of leaders and experts in Toronto will help define the path forward for the global labour market and set the stage for discussions and decisions made at the 114th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) in June.
“The question at the heart of this year’s World Employment Conference is: how will we mobilise the world’s talent to drive growth in an era of disruption?” Says Bettina Schaller, President of the World Employment Confederation (WEC). “At a time of accelerating AI adoption, rapid demographic change and a highly uncertain global economic outlook, the pressure on labour markets is intensifying. The issue is no longer simply about shortages – it is how effectively talent is developed, deployed and matched to where it is needed most in the Digital Age.”
As advocates for the private employment services industry, the WEC brings together leading policymakers and business leaders with direct insight into the labour market challenges, from global economic outlook and policy frameworks, to the practical realities of running businesses and connecting people to work.
Now in its 59th year, the WEC’s Annual Conference has become a key forum for understanding how labour markets are evolving – and what it will take to make them work better.
This year, the World Employment Conference 2026 – Grow with Talent features an impressive programme of speakers including:
- Jonas Prising, Chairman & CEO of ManpowerGroup, on how employers are responding to talent shortages and shifting workforce demand
- Elizabeth Warn, Head Labour Mobility Division, International Organisation for Migration, UN Migration Agency, on how countries and employers can use ethical international labour mobility to address skills shortages and drive economic growth
- Mark Pearson, Acting Director for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, on the outlook for labour markets and the growing imbalance between skills supply and demand
- Mary Seery Kearney, Author and Specialist in Employment, AI, Privacy, Corporate Governance Law and Data Protection Officer and Legal Advisor to the ERF, on how AI is affecting HR services, employment law and workplace regulation
- Mario Nava, Director-General for Employment at the European Commission,on how policy can enable growth while maintaining workforce protections through cross-border talent partnerships
- Opening remarks from AndreaKhanjin, MPP, Minister of Red Tape Reduction and the Honourable David Piccini MPP, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills development.
The programme also brings together expertise from organisations including the International Labour Organisation and the International Organisation for Migration, alongside WEC global and regional corporate members and National Federations from nearly 50 countries.
Each year, WEC members help place more than 61 million people into work worldwide, operating at the intersection of economic demand, workforce transformation and social mobility.
Find more information about the World Employment Conference 2026 – Grow with Talent, including news and registration and programme details here: https://wec2026.acsess.org/welcome
Follow for updates from the event, including summaries from the speaking sessions here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-employment-confederation/
You can find more information about the WEC, including its most recent Industry Impact Report launched in March 2026, here: https://wecglobal.org/publication-post/private-employment-agencies-placed-61-million-people-in-jobs-in-2024-despite-revenue-decline/
