Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL) President Gil McGowan said he was surprised to find the government was planning a mission to the United Arab Emirates for provincial employers to hire from a large pool of migrant workers employed overseas. McGowan noted the Alberta government’s support for these employers to hire temporary foreign workers (TFWs) includes venue arrangements for interviews, advertising to attract them, organizing interviews with them, and assistance with hotels and flights.“Premier [Danielle] Smith, you were elected to serve all Albertans, not just employers looking to drive down wages by using the TFWP (Temporary Foreign Worker Program),” said McGowan in a Wednesday letter to Smith. At the moment, he pointed out Alberta has the highest unemployment rate west of the Maritimes and its wage growth is among the lowest in Canada. By using the TFWP, he said it will make a bad situation worse. Simply put, he said it “is unacceptable that the UCP (United Conservative Party) is helping employers aggressively recruit Temporary Foreign Workers when so many Albertans are out of work and underpaid.” On behalf of the thousands of Alberta workers represented by AFL affiliates, he demanded answers. He questioned why Smith thinks the Alberta government should help employers bypass the local labour market in favour of a cheaper one halfway around the world. Additionally, he asked her how she can look unemployed Alberta workers in the eyes and tell them this mission to the UAE is a good idea.McGowan concluded by saying he is a believer in Alberta. “I am a believer in the work ethic and knowhow of the workers that call Alberta home,” he said. “This mission to the UAE for employers to hire foreign workers suggests you and I are starkly different in this regard.” Office of the Premier of Alberta press secretary Savannah Johannsen responded by saying Smith was unaware of any upcoming recruitment missions, but she will look into the concerns. “Alberta has experienced unsustainable levels of immigration due to the federal government’s policies, and we are advocating for more sustainable immigration policies,” said Johannsen. “It is our belief that Ottawa’s priority should be on reducing the number of temporary foreign workers, international students and asylum seekers — not on reducing provincially selected economic migrants.”The Canadian government announced in August steps to limit the number of TFWs allowed into certain careers. .Ottawa to clamp down on ‘low wage’ temporary foreign workers.Effective September, the Canadian government would refuse applications for TFWs in regions with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher. Additionally, there will be a cap of 10% coming from the low-wage stream of the program and a 50% reduction in the maximum residency duration from two years to one year. Exceptions will be made for seasonal and non-seasonal jobs in food security sectors, construction, and healthcare. The Canadian government said it continues to monitor the so-called high wage stream of the program that could result in further changes, including to existing applicants, within the next 90 days.
