The jobs and immigration minister says influx of temporary foreign workers, students has bloated schools and made the job market tighter for teen

Half of the questions on the Oct. 19 referendum ballot ask Albertans if they wish the province to take more control over immigration policies.

Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration Minister Joseph Schow said the government is seeking a mandate so the provincial government can push for changes to the number of temporary foreign workers who arrive in Alberta, and have them pay for some of their education and health-care costs.

The polls indicate sympathy is with Schow and the United Conservative Party. An Ipsos Reid poll released this week found that more than 60 per cent of Albertans plan to vote yes to the five immigration questions on the ballot. Those include giving Alberta more power in determining who comes into the province — plus reductions in immigration numbers, giving Albertans more opportunities to access new jobs, and asking new temporary residents to at least foot some of their bills for education and health care.

Schow said critics who see this as a widespread attack on immigration as a whole have got it wrong.

“That’s categorically false,” Schow said in an interview with Postmedia Friday. “I’d say that this is a way to make sure Alberta remains a stable, predictable economy. That there are jobs for Albertans when they need them and looking for them, and that they will get access to health care and education when they need it.

“Alberta has been a net producer for as long as I can remember, and that is not by chance. No nation, no province, no business, ever got wealthy or made money by consuming exclusively. We need to maintain our position as a producer, and that means bringing in newcomers who are helping build the economy, fulfilling their labour market vacancies that we need right now, while we simultaneously train the workers of the future in our post-secondary institutions.

He said the reductions are targeted towards temporary foreign workers and students.

He said Alberta’s youth unemployment rate stands at 15 per cent, higher than the national average — and that’s because many teens can’t find the same entry-level jobs in places like coffee shops and restaurants that their parents did. He said the void is being filled by temporary workers, and that shouldn’t be the intent of the program.

“I would say there are industries that we absolutely need temporary foreign workers,” said Schow. “That’s not going to change. Agriculture is a perfect example, but you know we shouldn’t be having temporary foreign workers occupying entry-level positions in things like the service sector — you know, serving at restaurants in downtown Calgary — that was never the intent or the spirit of the program. Since COVID, we’ve become more reliant upon temporary workers, and we need to make sure that we can curb that because we are seeing the numbers manifest.”

The federal government controls the number of temporary foreign workers admitted into the country every year. Its mandate is to reduce numbers. A total of 385,000 foreign workers and students will be welcomed this year, but that number will drop to 370,000 in both 2027 and 2028.

Schow said there were 30,000 emergency room visits from temporary foreign workers last year. This echoed Premier Danielle Smith’s claim from earlier in the week. And that’s why he makes no secret that he hopes Albertans will vote yes to the five immigration measures.

“The first step is to get a mandate, and that’s what the referendum is for. Once that is done, then we’ll evaluate the best path forward that’s sustainable for us from a financial perspective, housing perspective, and education perspective, and that is the plan. Other jurisdictions have things like health care premiums before you enter the country as a temporary worker.”

He said that some temporary workers get renewal after renewal, which is “akin to permanent residency, without the surety of permanent residency.”

Bronwyn Bragg, a University of Lethbridge assistant professor who authored a Parkland Institute report on the immigration questions, warned that voting yes will do little to change the system.

“Ultimately, these questions do nothing to address immigration policy or the challenges facing Alberta today. They are there to foster anger and promote scapegoating,” wrote Bragg.

Bookmark our website and support our journalism:Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.

You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.