Peter Shokeir | [email protected]
A new program will fast track temporary foreign workers into permanent residency for Jasper and other rural communities in Alberta.
The provincial government launched the Rural Renewal Stream last year to address the labour shortage that has become more acute due to COVID.
鈥淭his was an initiative with the hopes that if we could attract people either from overseas or temporary foreign workers into our rural communities, then it would be a way to fill our labour needs,鈥� said Ginette Marcoux, executive director of the Jasper Employment and Education Centre (JEEC), which is administering the program in Jasper.
To become a designated community, there must be adequate supports for newcomers.
Marcoux said the lack of housing was the biggest issue that Jasper faced when submitting its application, which was approved in September.
鈥淲hat we had to do in our application is we鈥檝e had to make it a requirement that any employers wanting to be a part of this program will also have to commit to providing housing for the permanent residents that they bring into the community, because there is no housing, otherwise, to be had.鈥�
A steering committee will review the applications that come in.
Under this program, employers will not be able to recruit seasonal workers and must have a genuine need for labour.
This program is for full-time, year-round workers that have been guaranteed accommodations.
The temporary foreign worker must commit to stay in Jasper for a minimum of two years.
Incomplete applications will not be considered, and employers will be disqualified should they have previous labour or safety violations.
Employers must also sign on to a workplace inclusion charter and complete five of the 17 charter actions within the first year.
Marcoux noted the great level of interest from employers but warned that they could only approve five employers due to a lack of funding from the government.
鈥淭his program is a lot of work, and whoever the lead organization is has now taken on a significant amount of work with no funds attached, and this cannot be. It will not be as successful as it needs to be.鈥�
Permanent residency takes three years typically, but under this program, the process could be done in just six months.
鈥淣ow we still say that remains to be seen, but apparently there鈥檚 other communities that have seen that it is going very quickly,鈥� Marcoux said.
Marcoux addressed how wages often did not reflect the cost of living in Jasper, which contributed to the labour shortage.
鈥淲e are not wanting to bring in new immigrants so that they can get paid lower wages. We will be expecting at least a minimum of what the highest wage is in the community.鈥�
Any employer interested in the program is asked to attend one of two information sessions鈥擩an. 20 from 1-3 p.m. and Jan. 25 from 10 a.m. to noon.
To register, call the employment centre at 780-852-4418.
