Joseph Schow says Ottawa has 'lost control of sustainable immigration,' straining provincial resources
Alberta’s Minister of Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration is calling on the federal government to address what he describes as a growing immigration crisis that is straining provincial resources and services.
“Immigration crisis demands immediate action,” said Joseph Schow in a statement.
He said the federal government has “lost control of sustainable immigration in Canada,” noting that the country is on track to receive more than one million new temporary and permanent immigrants this year. This figure does not include the nearly three million temporary residents already in Canada.
Schow highlighted that while Ottawa sets immigration targets, provinces are responsible for providing key services such as health care, housing, and education.
“When it comes to immigration, Albertans simply want transparency, honesty and sustainability, all of which have been lost under this federal government,” he said.
Illegal immigrants across Canada
Schow also said there are up to 500,000 illegal immigrants currently spread across Canada, "all of whom are benefiting from taxpayer-funded services.”
“As the federal government determines immigration targets for next year, these illegal migrants are not being accounted for,” he said. “This means that the numbers being reported to Canadians are inaccurate. These illegal migrants must be taken into account, as every province is feeling the pressure of Ottawa’s mismanagement of the immigration system.”
Currently, the federal government is working on its immigration plan for 2026 and is seeking input from stakeholders.
For 2026, the federal government is considering where to focus its selection of economic immigrants while taking into account broader objectives, including a return to sustainable immigration levels, domestic capacity, and the need to ensure a well-managed immigration system.
Population growth in Alberta
Alberta led the country in population growth for the second consecutive year, with a 4.36-per-cent increase in 2023-24. Most of this growth came from international migration, which accounted for 71.2 per cent of the province’s population increase. Alberta also saw the highest level of interprovincial migration, with 43,750 people moving to the province from elsewhere in Canada.
Schow warned that the rapid population increase is putting pressure on employment, housing, health care, and other public services. He referenced Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent admission that “the system isn’t working,” and called on the federal government to cap immigration and reform the system.
In 2024, only New Brunswick and Nova Scotia also saw positive interprovincial migration; all other provinces experienced declines, noted the Alberta government.
“It is time to regain control of our borders, protect the services Canadians rely on, and restore trust in our immigration system,” Schow said.
The federal government has made numerous changes to its immigration system—particularly in the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program—in the past year, and some stakeholders have expressed dissatisfaction with some of the changes.
Inegrating newcomers to Canada
In July, the federal government announced it is investing more than $3.2 billion over three years across more than 520 organizations outside Quebec to improve the integration of newcomers, including into the job market and to reduce labour shortages, in Quebec.
Funding will be provided to local organizations to deliver tailored services that recognize regional considerations and needs, instead of applying a one-size-fits-all approach. Services will include:
- support with getting a licence or certification in a regulated profession
- providing job-specific and general language training in English and French
- supporting French-speaking newcomers to integrate into francophone communities outside Quebec
These services will help newcomers build successful lives in Canada by supporting their economic, social, and cultural integration into communities across the country, said the federal government.
“Canada is focused on building more homes, better infrastructure and a clean economy – and newcomers are essential to making that happen,” said Lena Metlege Diab, federal minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship. “This investment is about giving newcomers the skills and opportunities they need to build their lives here and help build Canada at the same time. When newcomers thrive, our communities grow stronger, and we all move forward together.”
As of April 1, 2025, more than 520 organizations had received funding to deliver settlement and resettlement programs and services across Canada, noted the federal government.
