Employers in Alberta will soon be able to more easily hire skilled foreign workers in targeted professions. This is thanks to the expansion of the Canada-Alberta Pilot Project, which has been created to better help address Alberta’s labour shortage.

The project was first launched on June 1, 2011. It allows eligible foreign nationals to come to Alberta to work temporarily in a specifically designated occupation. Successful applicants are issued work permits that allow them to move freely between Alberta employers, without having to request a new Labour Market Opinion (LMO) each time employers are changed. Generally, temporary foreign workers must secure a new LMO every time they change employers, a process which can sometimes take months.

Originally, the pilot program was limited to temporary foreign workers who were steamfitters/pipefitters. Effective July 16, 2012, additional occupations have been added:

• Welders
• Heavy duty equipment mechanics
• Ironworkers
• Millwrights and Industrial mechanics
• Carpenters
• Estimators

“Our consultations with Alberta employers and our own labour forecasts show the need to expand the pilot to include these high-demand occupations,” said Alberta Minister of Enterprise Stephen Khan. “We appreciate the cooperation and support of our federal colleagues in working with us to help employers get the workers they need sooner.”