While duplicating some of Ottawa’s work, Bill 26 calls for greater control over temporary workers with new registries, enforcement powers
Alberta is moving to assert greater control over how temporary foreign workers and other newcomers are brought into the province, introducing legislation that would create new registries, licensing rules and enforcement powers aimed at cracking down on fraud and exploitation.
The changes are contained in Bill 26, the Immigration Oversight Act, which was introduced on April 1, 2026, by the Ministry of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration.
The legislation is framed as a response to the federal government’s “loss of control over immigration,” which Alberta argues has contributed to “unsustainable population growth, pressure on public services and cases of abuse by bad actors.”
However, some business advocates are concerned the new oversight system could add to administrative burdens. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business has warned that more than half of Alberta small businesses rely on foreign workers to stay in operation, especially in agriculture, and fears the new process may mean more red tape, CBC News reported.
“This does not look like red tape reduction,” said Keylil Loeppky, the federation’s director for Alberta and interprovincial trade. “This looks like duplication, more burdensome paperwork on the backs of employers who are just trying to survive, employ Albertans and support the economy.”
‘Cracking down’ on immigration fraud
Bill 26 is intended to give Alberta “more provincial oversight of immigration, increase transparency and reduce mistreatment of newcomers,” the government said.
“Albertans deserve to know that immigration in Alberta is fair, transparent and addresses the real needs of Alberta’s labour force. This legislation improves accountability and gives the province more control over how the immigration system is used and gives us tools other provinces use to ensure the system is working for Albertans,” said Joseph Schow, Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration, in a government statement.
The bill would require any employer wishing to access federal temporary foreign worker programs to register with the province before using those programs, such as obtaining a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). It would also introduce a new licensing system for immigration consultants and foreign worker recruiters, powers the government says Alberta currently lacks in a single, comprehensive framework.
Bill 26 gives Alberta tools already in place in jurisdictions like Saskatchewan and British Columbia, the province said, by creating an employer registry and licensing regime for recruiters and consultants to “crack down on fraud and exploitation, including fake job offers, illegal fees and misrepresentation,” while better aligning immigration with Alberta’s labour needs.
Currently, Alberta “does not have adequate authority to hold those who represent the immigration industry accountable when they mistreat or take advantage of foreign workers,” according to the province. Under the proposed act, officials would gain powers to investigate contraventions, impose monetary penalties, suspend or revoke licences and registrations, and in severe cases seek terms of imprisonment through the courts.
The government says the majority of employers, recruiters and immigration consultants follow the rules and support newcomers. But it argues new rules are needed to define and prohibit specific practices, including “misrepresented or fraudulent employment opportunities,” “paid-for job offers and collection of unauthorized fees,” and “other activities that take advantage of a foreign worker’s inexperience, fear, discomfort or lack of knowledge in the immigration system.”
Duplication of Ottawa’s work
The Alberta government says immigration is a shared federal‑provincial responsibility but maintains the province must have more say in how foreign workers are used to meet local labour gaps.
The new framework would, in practice, duplicate some work already done by Ottawa, but Schow said the process is needed to “prioritize and address Alberta's unique labour market needs, particularly in agriculture and manufacturing,” CBC News reported. He did not offer specifics about how Alberta’s system might differ from federal criteria, noting those details would be developed in regulations if the bill passes.
“What this comes down to is addressing things like unemployment in Alberta (and) making sure that Albertans have first crack at Alberta jobs,” Schow told reporters before introducing the bill. He added that the current system favours hiring foreign nationals for some entry‑level positions, bypassing young Canadians, and said he wants better data and a “clear line of sight on immigration,” including how many people arrive in other parts of Canada and later move to Alberta, CBC reported.
Schow insisted the bill is “absolutely not” about restricting the number of temporary foreign workers coming to the province, but about ensuring employers only turn to foreign hires “because they cannot find the employees in Alberta,” CBC reported.
