We were honoured to be part of the Government of Alberta’s announcement of their new immigration stream dedicated to the tourism and hospitality industry.
“The AHLA welcomes the creation of a dedicated immigration stream for Alberta’s tourism and hospitality industry. While Canadians continue to respond to Alberta’s call, our member hotels are still experiencing acute labour shortages in their teams. By helping hotels attract and retain the skilled staff they need, this stream will help Alberta hotels deliver a better experience to our guests and strengthen the provincial tourism economy.”
– Tracy Douglas-Blowers, CEO
Alberta’s hospitality industry drives economic growth, prosperity and job creation in communities around the province. We were pleased to see the government create a ministry of Tourism & Sport after last year’s election. With the right policy framework in place, the AHLA believes there is a tremendous opportunity for tourism to grow Alberta’s economy.
Access to a skilled workforce has been a critical issue for hotels, which have faced a structural labour shortage for many years. This announcement is a long awaited, much needed policy change. The new Tourism & Hospitality Immigration Stream will allow hotels of all sizes, in cities and towns all over our province, to access the workforce we must have if we are going to grow Alberta’s visitor economy.
The program, open to those working in tourism and hospitality for at least six months, offers a pathway to permanent residency in Alberta. This initiative not only alleviates labor challenges but also stimulates the development of new tourism offerings, aligning with the government’s commitment to doubling the value of Alberta’s visitor economy.
We are incredibly proud of our members for coming together and engaging in positive advocacy efforts to find creative solutions to industry challenges!
More details will be available here on March 1.