April 20, 2017- The province of Alberta and the federal
government have teamed up to create a job program to encourage
companies to hire Alberta skilled workers ahead of any foreign
workers in 29 high wage jobs. For a list of the 29 occupations,
click here. The new "Employer
Liaison Service" will be piloted over 24 months and will
provide targeted and enhanced recruitment support to Alberta
employers, it will encourage hiring Albertans and hopefully
decrease the high provincial unemployment rate.The program will
initially target skilled trades that have seen high levels of
unemployment recently. Under the new program, if a business applies
for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for a temporary
foreign worker, who specializes in carpentry, for example, the
application may be denied if there are Albertan carpenters looking
for work. The business will then be matched up with one of 19
liaison officers, who will put them in contact with the local
workers.
What does this mean for Alberta employers?
It is highly unlikely that an Alberta employer will be issued an
LMIA if the occupation is one of the 29 occupations that are
considered to be high-wage occupations. The Alberta employer can
continue to employ and hire temporary foreign worker as
intra-company transfers or as NAFTA professionals, but the LMIA is
not an option for high-wage occupations as listed on the designated
list.
For more information about the new program, and to learn how this
may impact your business,
please contact us directly.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
