• Advocates flag contributions, not costs, of newcomers in Alberta referendum aftermath

  Source: Alberta - Provincial Politics
  Date: 2026-10-23 12:21:33.0
  Tags: [Alberta, Immigration, Labour, Healthcare, Economy, Agriculture]

  Following an Alberta referendum where a slim majority of voters supported limiting access to or charging fees for provincially funded services based on immigration status, advocates and industry groups have warned of negative economic and operational impacts. Premier Danielle Smith’s government had estimated that healthcare and education costs for temporary residents total $1 billion annually. However, union representatives from the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 401 at the Cargill abattoir in High River, alongside the Christian Health Association of Alberta and the Business Council of Alberta, emphasized the critical economic contributions of newcomers, noting that immigrants paid an estimated $4.1 billion in Alberta personal income taxes in 2026.

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• Ottawa adding express entry for permanent resident applicants in 'high-wage' jobs

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-10-16 19:11:23.0
  Tags: [National, Immigration, Labour, Economy]

  Effective November 3, 2026, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Lena Diab announced that the federal government is adding new Express Entry points for permanent residency applicants in "high-wage" jobs. The policy applies to applicants with Canadian work experience or job offers in high-wage fields such as engineering, where high-wage is defined as paying at least 1.3 times the median wage, with point allocations correlating to the wage level. Additionally, the government is implementing a temporary policy to remove Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirements and the mandate for employers to prove they cannot find qualified Canadians for these qualifying positions. Permanent residency candidates already in the Express Entry pool will have their scores modified within two weeks, during which time invitations to apply will be paused.

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• Unemployment Rate Second Lowest Amongst Provinces at 5.4 Per Cent in September

  Source: Saskatchewan - Government News
  Date: 2026-10-09 22:30:00.0
  Tags: [Saskatchewan, Economy, Labour, Industry, Immigration]

  Statistics Canada reported that Saskatchewan's labour market added 2,400 jobs year-over-year in September, bringing total employment to a monthly record high of 625,000 workers. The province's unemployment rate stood at 5.4 per cent, remaining well below the national average of 6.5 per cent, while youth unemployment dropped to 11.4 per cent. Private sector employment grew by 21,500 jobs or 6.0 per cent year-over-year, driven significantly by gains in manufacturing (up 5,700 jobs or 21.7 per cent), construction (up 5,700 jobs or 11.8 per cent), and healthcare and social assistance (up 4,100 jobs or 4.0 per cent). Urban employment growth was led by Regina, where employment rose by 5,300 or 3.5 per cent, and Saskatoon, which saw an increase of 900 or 0.4 per cent. This growth is supported by provincial initiatives including Building the Workforce for a Growing Economy: The Saskatchewan Labour Market Strategy and Securing the Next Decade of Growth: Saskatchewan's Investment Attraction Strategy.

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• Conservative critic says government must hit lower immigration target in next levels plan

  Source: CBC Politics
  Date: 2026-09-30 21:38:59.0
  Tags: [National, Immigration, Housing, Labour, Economy]

  Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel Garner stated that Canada must further reduce its immigration targets, criticizing Prime Minister Mark Carney for floating the possibility of future population increases during a New York Times interview. The federal government's previous budget implemented hard caps, including a 43 per cent reduction in temporary residents for the year, and set a permanent resident target of 380,000 per year from 2026 to 2028. Statistics Canada reported that Canada's population growth slowed to half a percentage point between July 2025 and July 2026, driven by an estimated decrease of roughly 154,000 temporary residents over the same period.

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• Federal Government Supports New Projects to Promote Francophone Immigration

  Source: Newfoundland & Labrador - Government Releases
  Date: 2026-09-29 13:50:03.0
  Tags: [Newfoundland and Labrador, Immigration, Labour, Education, Healthcare, Economy]

  The Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador announced an investment of $349,684 over two years under the Francophone Immigration Support Program. Administered via provincial ministers Lin Paddock (Jobs, Growth and Rural Development) and Lena Metlege Diab (federal Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship), the funding targets overseas recruitment to attract French-speaking and bilingual talent. The initiative aims to address labour market needs and population growth in key sectors such as education, early childhood education, and health care while expanding French-language services.

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• Eastern Canada business leaders call for ‘single economy’ between Atlantic provinces

  Source: Nova Scotia - Halifax & Regional News
  Date: 2026-09-25 14:16:00.0
  Tags: [Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Economy, Trade, Labour, Infrastructure, Energy, Immigration]

  The Atlantic Economic Panel, appointed by federal minister Sean Fraser and chaired by Crane Cove Holdings Ltd. president Don Mills, released a report calling for the creation of a 'One Atlantic Canada' single economy by 2035 across Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. To combat low productivity, labour shortages, and regulatory barriers, the report outlines seven major recommendations, including a $1-billion Atlantic Prosperity Fund, a $25-billion integrated electricity system managed by a region-wide independent system operator, the removal of all trade and labour mobility barriers, and regional infrastructure partnerships. Additional targets include growing the region's population past 3 million with a 1.8 percent annual growth rate, doubling exports to Europe to over $30 billion, mobilizing $100 billion in new natural resource investments, and enhancing the aerospace, defence, shipbuilding, and artificial intelligence sectors.

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• Public Advisory: Help Shape Newfoundland and Labrador’s Population Growth Strategy

  Source: Newfoundland & Labrador - Government Releases
  Date: 2026-09-22 12:30:26.0
  Tags: [Newfoundland and Labrador, Economy, Labour, Immigration, Governance]

  The Department of Jobs, Growth and Rural Development of Newfoundland and Labrador has launched a public consultation process to inform the development of a new population growth strategy. Operating through the EngageNL platform and accepting direct email submissions until October 11, 2026, the strategy focuses on four main pillars: growing the workforce, growing families, growing regions, and growing in-migration. Additionally, targeted questionnaires are being distributed to municipal governments, Indigenous governments and organizations, and provincial employers to gather diverse perspectives on regional economic and population development.

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