Strengthening immigration oversight

Overview

The Immigration Oversight Act (formerly Bill 26) gives Alberta’s government more provincial oversight of immigration, increases transparency and reduces mistreatment of newcomers.

The act will establish registry requirements for employers of temporary foreign workers and new licensing requirements for foreign worker recruiters and immigration consultants.

Currently, Alberta does not have adequate authority to hold those who represent the immigration industry accountable when they mistreat or take advantage of foreign workers. This act gives Alberta’s government the tools needed to address misconduct, including but not limited to fines, suspensions and bans from recruiting or hiring.

Key changes

The Immigration Oversight Act will:

• establish a registry for employers wishing to access the temporary foreign workforce
  • Employers would need to register with the province prior to accessing federal programs, such as receiving a Labour Market Impact Assessment.
• establish a licensing system for immigration consultants and foreign worker recruiters
• establish prohibited practices that apply to employers, foreign worker recruiters and immigration consultants
• establish powers to investigate contraventions of prohibitions
• establish a system of offences and provide administrative penalties for contravening prohibitions
  • This includes the ability to impose monetary penalties and license and registration restrictions. In severe cases, terms of imprisonment can be imposed by the courts.

The act will also establish a formal complaints process for cases where there is reason to believe an employer, foreign worker recruiter or immigration consultant has contravened the act or its regulations, as well as a review process for actions taken.

Prohibited activities the act aims to address include:

• misrepresented or fraudulent employment opportunities
• paid-for job offers and collection of unauthorized fees
• other activities that take advantage of a foreign worker’s inexperience, fear, discomfort or lack of knowledge in the immigration system

Next steps

The Immigration Oversight Act will come into force upon proclamation.

Details on the registry and licensing systems and penalties for non-compliance will be developed in the subsequent regulations.

News

• Restoring trust in the immigration system (April 1, 2026)