Alberta government cancels U.A.E. foreign worker recruitment trip

The Alberta government has decided to cancel a foreign worker recruiting trip to the United Arab Emirates, according to a statement from the Minister of Immigration and Multiculturalism Muhammad Yaseen. 

CBC News reported on Friday that the ministry was planning to recruit skilled workers from the U.A.E. as part of a 2025 international recruitment mission, tentatively scheduled for the end of February or for early March.

In a statement Sunday, Yaseen said the ministry was made aware of the potential recruitment mission earlier this week, but that after reviewing the mission's purpose, he has decided not to pursue it. 

News of the trade mission had raised concerns among labour leaders in the province. 

A one-page document shared with CBC News by the federal NDP and by Local 424 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, which represents more than 4,000 electricians in Alberta and the Northwest Territories, outlined that the mission would allow the province to access a large pool of migrant workers who are "extensively vetted", with a "high level of English proficiency". 

It also said that the Alberta government said it would support venue arrangements, promotion of job opportunities, interview logistics, informational workshops and travel recommendations for employers.

In the statement, Yaseen said his ministry will "continue to explore alternative options to address skilled labour shortages in key sectors of our market." 

Prior to its cancellation, the initiative had drawn criticism from the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL), including its president, Gil McGowan.

"To see the Alberta government facilitating employers going overseas to find workers when there's plenty of people who could fill these positions, it's not just galling, it's completely unacceptable," he said last week.

Electrician union glad concerns were heard

Scott Crichton, a spokesperson with Local 424 who had shared reservations about the mission with the provincial government, said he's glad their perspective was taken into account. 

"I'm guessing that when people had a chance to voice their concerns related to bringing in temporary foreign workers from overseas, given the unemployment rate right now, perhaps the government had a chance to reflect on this might not be the best time to do such a trade mission," said Crichton on Sunday. 

"And perhaps that there are other groups that they could work with in the province to help fill skilled labour demands."

He added that he remains committed to working with the government to help fill skilled labour demands with electricians and electrical apprentices. 

While Crichton had a meeting scheduled with the government to discuss the trade mission on Dec. 11, he said no one from the ministry told him the trip was cancelled. 

Last week, a spokesperson from the office of the Premier said they weren't aware of the recruitment trip. 

Yaseen echoed the stance of the Premier's office in his statement on Sunday, saying that federal government policies have led to Alberta experiencing unsustainable levels of immigration. 

"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."

Statistics Canada's November 2024 Labour Force Survey suggested that as of November, Alberta had the fourth highest unemployment of all Canadian provinces, behind Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and Ontario.

The Alberta minimum wage is $15 an hour, tied with Saskatchewan for the lowest in the country.