Alberta will improve its healthcare delivery system, as Danielle Smith (Alberta Premier) announced this November. He further declared that they would classify the current Alberta Health Services into four parts in order to provide access to care. Smith restated that the goal of this plan is to “cut down emergency room and surgery queues, enhance access to experimental treatments, and retain more staff.” It would also reorganize Alberta’s healthcare delivery system based on functions.
Companies will “transmit health services in the areas of primary, acute care, continuing care, and mental health/addiction care,” This is what the province’s decentralization of healthcare has determined.
Alberta to improve its healthcare delivery system and its impact on newcomers
According to data from 2022, almost 50,000 new permanent residents (PRs; 49,460) arrived in Alberta in the previous year.
The expected changes to healthcare delivery in Alberta will affect a substantial number of newcomers to Canada. This is because the province will likely be Canada’s fourth-largest immigrant destination by number of permanent residents by 2022. Furthermore, this effect will be evident in a number of ways, including job opportunities and healthcare access.
Job opportunities
The premier of Alberta declared that hiring more workers for the healthcare sector is one of the objectives of this reform. This will probably increase job prospects for potential immigrants to Canada in this province.
Numerous factors, such as the most recent implementation of category-based Express Entry drawings, point to this possibility.
These draws emphasize the selection of immigration candidates based on specific proficiencies and prior job experience, departing from the conventional Express Entry draws’ emphasis on a candidate’s CRS score.
Canada’s immigration department chose the following six categories to be the main focus of category-based draws in 2023. Candidates for immigration are given priority in this year’s categories:
- Proficiency in the French language or work experience in the following fields:
- STEM professions
- Healthcare
- Trades
- Agricultural and Agri-Food
- Transport
The fact that IRCC included healthcare vocations in its list of categories for 2023 indicates that this sector in Canada requires more highly qualified individuals. Thus, potential immigrants may see more opportunities to immigrate to, work in, and reside in Alberta as a result of the upcoming healthcare system.
Alberta’s progress in recent times
Not only was Alberta the fourth most desirable place for immigrants to settle in the previous year, but it has also seen a general upsurge in population growth in recent years.
Actually, as per Statistics Canada data cited in a September CTV piece, Alberta had 4.7 million people living there as of July 1st this year. This implies “4.1 percent greater than on [July 1] last year due to a spike of 184,400 people.
As per the same news, the population of Alberta has experienced a recent surge, surpassing the national average by 1.1 percentage points.
Eliminating the COVID recovery phase, Alberta has witnessed an increase in its labor force at its fastest annual pace since 2007. This is largely due to population growth, which may be traced to international migration.
*Original migration has contributed 61% of Alberta’s 112,562-person provincial population increase.
Migration from other regions of the world to Alberta, according to ATB Financial Vice President and Chief Economist Mark Parsons, offers an uninterrupted flow of people to fill a number of these jobs.
According to a CTV report, migration from other Canadian provinces, namely Ontario and British Columbia, is the only other major factor contributing to Alberta’s population surge. Moreover, this migration accounts for about 31% (or 56,245 persons) of the province’s population expansion.
Moving to Alberta
If you’re a foreign national considering moving to Alberta, the province offers opportunities for businesses and temporary foreign workers.
For instance, the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program is the name given to Alberta’s PNP.
Additionally, the province’s immigration system comprises multiple streams catering to workers and entrepreneurs. The requirements for each stream vary, with some requiring an offer of employment in place before applying.
An example list of AAIP streams is as follows:
For Employees
- Alberta Opportunity Stream – a route for qualified individuals already employed in an Alberta-eligible profession to become permanent residents of the province.
- Rural Renewal Stream – An avenue for applicants who already have a job offer from Alberta to work in a rural community in Alberta.
Entrepreneurs
- Graduate Entrepreneur Stream – The path for foreign graduates of an approved post-secondary institution in Alberta who want to launch a company there.
- Foreign Graduate Entrepreneur Stream – A means for foreign nationals who seek to launch a business in Alberta after graduating from a university outside of Canada.
If you wish to know about Provincial Nominee Programs, connect with our immigration experts at MakeHomeCanada. Our considerable experience in the immigration field can help you. You may write to us [email protected]
