Aside from seeing a role for labor mobility in alleviating Alberta’s labor shortage, the opinions of governments and different construction organizations begin to diverge. On the contentious issue of importing temporary foreign workers (TFWs) to fill gaps in Alberta labor ranks, the Alberta government and construction industry employers stress their vital role while labor organizations are predisposed to favor more local and more permanent solutions.

“We’re not going to say none of our unions have ever used temporary foreign labor, because they have,” says the building trades council leader. “But the biggest thing you’ve got to be concerned about is that when you’re bringing in somebody from offshore, the qualifications are adequate to ensure they are the same standard that a landed immigrant or a citizen has to pass.”

The goal should be to eliminate the need for temporary offshore workers and ensure skill levels remain high by attracting permanent settlers, Harry says. “Make it easier for people who want to come into the country… and make it more viable to actually become landed immigrants.”
That is precisely the goal, says Jennifer Raimundo from Alberta Employment, Immigration and Industry. And it is being met.

“Because the vast majority of Immigrant Nominee Program candidates came to Alberta initially as temporary foreign workers, the TFW program is helping Alberta employers find the people needed here for the long term.”

The growth of the provincial nominee program confirms this, as the annual nominations have increased from 128 to 948 between 2002 and 2007.

Foreign workers are “part of the reality and part of the solution” – but no more than part, says Doucet. The real issue is who is coming in and what type of abilities they possess.

“I think it’s dependent on the sector and skills necessary. We don’t have the same need for people with degrees in sociology. Here in Alberta, we need chemical engineers. We need pipefitters. To attract people who have those skills, who have experience in that industry and can hit the ground running – gee, that’s great.”

Ironically, it may be the policies of other countries as opposed to our own that help determine the quality of our immigrant labor. For instance, Alberta may have no greater friend than the current Venezuelan president, says the U of A professor. “I had a short conversation with someone from a human resources department at an oil sands company in Fort McMurray who said to me Hugo Chavez is the best thing that could happen to us.” His policies of nationalizing resource facilities have “piqued the interest of some Venezuelan technical people to come to Alberta.”

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