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.