In 2006, Alberta became the first province in Canada where the number of Temporary Foreign workers exceeded the number of people admitted through the Canadian immigration system. In significant need of labour force growth, Alberta has taken advantage of recent facilitative amendments to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

In December 2006, Alberta was home to 22,392 temporary foreign workers. That is more than double the number of temporary workers in Alberta in 2003 and more than three times the number in 1997. It also outnumbers the 20,717 immigrants admitted as Permanent Residents in 2006.

To respond to this dramatic increase in temporary workers, the Alberta Federation of Labour established the Office of the Temporary Foreign Worker Advocate in early May to support temporary workers and to give them a voice. Since its opening, the Advocate has assisted dozens of workers from the Philippines, Mexico, India, Romania, and several other countries.

Ontario and British Columbia have also seen a significant increase in the number of temporary foreign workers admitted, however, the number of Permanent Resident immigrants still outnumber temporary workers in these provinces.