Alberta business groups say the federal government's newly reduced immigration targets may make it harder for employers to find new workers.Alberta business groups say the federal government's newly reduced immigration targets may make it harder for employers to find new workers.for immigration levels on Thursday in order to address rapid population growth and relieve pressures on the housing market.
Most of all, he says recruiting newcomers often benefits Canadian workers. Using restaurant staffing as an example, Kelly says those businesses often rely on foreign workers to staff kitchens and other back-of-house positions that would be otherwise difficult to fill, complementing the work of domestic employees who are already staffing the front of house.
The province's accommodation and food services sector hit a 7.5 per cent unemployment rate in September 2024, the third highest rate among sectors, according to Alberta's "But there was one big area where we had concerns and reservations, and that was immigration. Specifically, we felt very strongly that they had misstepped by allowing too many people into the country too quickly, especially as non-permanent residents."McGowan believes the root of the labour shortages identified by groups like the CFIB and Restaurants Canada stems from the idea that such jobs aren't paying enough to be attractive to domestic workers.