The provinces have long played a vital role in shaping immigration policy in Canada, but changes are afoot. Recent federal cuts to immigration levels – as outlined in the 2025-27 Immigration Levels Plan – have placed a disproportionate burden on provinces by reducing their involvement in immigration through the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), an organization that allows Canadian provinces to annually select immigrants based on their unique economic and labour market needs. This is the topic examined in the Business Council of Alberta’s latest report on immigration policy, one that resonates with CLRA and our advocacy work.
The number of immigrants in the skilled trades in Canada surged in the late 2000s and early 2010s as the immigration selection system responded to the growing demand for skilled tradespeople. In fact, in the years following their admission, immigrated tradespeople experienced significantly higher employment rates than their non-trades peers. With the construction sector presently grappling with the skilled labour shortage and waves of retirements, it’s clear that the need for tradespeople – both new and native to Canada – is still high. The BCA report shares that several of the occupations and industries prioritized by the federal government – including the skilled trades – overlap heavily with those that have historically been targeted by PNP streams. As a result, the federal government’s cuts to the PNP reduces the voice of the provinces in immigration, hurts regional diversity, and decreases overall support for economic immigration. The BCA call for the restoration and expansion of the PNP – the single largest economic immigration selection program in Canada – and provide policy recommendations on how to do this.
CLRA supports opportunities for foreign-trained workers to build successful careers in Alberta’s construction industry and urges the federal government to ensure that immigration continues to benefit our province. We believe that policies like Minister Nolan Dyck’s Bill 203 help break down barriers to filling trades jobs while promoting inclusivity and diversity, a goal we desire to further through our digital “Trades Are For Everyone” campaign. This report demonstrates how the reduction in the PNP is not only a setback, but also a missed opportunity to harness the provinces’ unique strengths as critical players in the Canadian immigration system to address labour shortages, regional development, and economic growth.
Read the full report here.
