What You Need to Know Before Completing the Alberta Next Survey
The Government of Alberta has rolled out the Alberta Next Panel and Survey to gather Albertans’ views on key issues. According to the Alberta Next website, this initiative will conduct in-person and online town halls, identify challenges that Alberta faces from Ottawa, and consider policy questions for a potential 2026 provincial referendum.
One of the issues raised is immigration into Alberta.
At AAISA, we believe it’s critical to separate myths from facts about immigration. There has been misinformation circulating in the media, including in the video posted on the Alberta Next Panel’s website. This video paints a misleading picture of Canada’s immigration system which can cause confusion and affect how people complete the survey.
This post breaks down the various immigration pathways in Canada, Alberta’s role, and the supports newcomers receive. It will provide you with accurate information so you can participate in conversations with clarity and confidence.
Common myths about immigration
- Myth: Canada has an “open borders policy…often without any sort of proper vetting, job prospects or needed employment skills.”
- Fact: Canada’s immigration system is regulated and structured, with security checks, medical exams, and eligibility assessments for all permanent residents, refugees, and students.
- Myth: “Immigration is causing housing shortages and unemployment.”
- Fact: Housing shortages and other challenges are not because of newcomers. Immigration drives economic growth and addresses labour shortages in critical sectors.
- Myth: “Immigrants drain public services.”
- Fact: Newcomers pay taxes, contribute to pensions, and often use fewer health services during the first few years.
- Myth: “Canada accepts more refugees than it can handle.”
- Fact: Refugees and protected persons make up a small portion of Canada’s total immigration targets. Under the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan, refugees and protected persons account for only 14% of all permanent resident admissions, while economic immigrants make up 60%. Refugees and protected persons represent a carefully managed, small share of overall immigration.
Here are the federal targets:
- Protected persons and dependents: ~30,000 annually (5 % of all permanent resident arrivals)
- Government Assisted Refugees (GARs): ~15, 250 annually (4 % of all permanent resident arrivals)
- Blended Visa Office-Referred Refugees: ~100 annually (0% of all permanent resident arrivals)
- Privately Sponsored Refugees: ~21,000–24,000 annually (6% of all permanent resident arrivals)
What are the main immigration pathways?
Canada does not have an open-door immigration policy. Every newcomer must go through a structured, vetted, and often lengthy process. With this, there are also several different immigration streams – each with its own limits, restrictions, and access to social services.
Canadian immigration is of shared federal and provincial jurisdiction, with the majority controlled at a federal level. The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is the federal ministry who sets immigration policy. Alberta has input and its own streams within this framework.
Here are the key pathways:
1. Economic Immigrants are selected by individuals’ ability to contribute to Canada’s economy.
- Express Entry for skilled workers through the federal government, including the Federal Skilled Worker Program, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and the Canadian Experience Class.
- Alberta Advantage Immigration program (AAIP) allows Alberta to nominate individuals for permanent residency. This program aims to address labour shortages and support economic development by attracting skilled workers and entrepreneurs.
2. Family Class immigrants allow Canadian citizens or permanent residents to sponsor their immediate family members into Canada. These individuals are granted Permanent Residency status based on their relationship either as a spouse, partner, parents, grand-parent or child. These reunifications support family well-being.
3. Refugees and protected persons are individuals fleeing war, persecution, or violence and Canada has a legal responsibility under various international agreements to protect individuals seeking refugee protection. For example, Canada is a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention, which defines who is a refugee and outlines the rights and responsibilities of both refugees and asylum countries and the Safe Third Country Agreement with the US.
- Government Assisted Refugees (GARs): Refugees referred to Canada by the UNHCR.
- Blended Visa Office-Referred (BVORs): This program matches refugees identified for resettlement by UNHCR with private sponsors in Canada.
- Privately Sponsored Refugees (PSRs): Privately sponsored refugees in which financial costs of sponsorship and settlement support is provided by private groups or organizations.
- Humanitarian class: This stream is applied to people with exceptional cases and applications are considered on a case-by-case basis. This category supports those affected by international conflicts, crises, natural hazards and other situations.
- Refugee claimants (or asylum claimants): Individuals who fear persecution or are in danger. These individuals can reside within or outside of Canada. These individuals are not permanent residents until they are granted permanent status based on a well-founded fear of returning to their country of origin, which then falls under the “Protected Persons in Canada and Dependents Abroad” category.
4. Temporary residents are either international students or individuals who go through the Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) program. International students bring their talents and tuition to post-secondary institutions. TFWs are hired by businesses across the country to fill labour gaps in agriculture, hospitality, and care work. Some temporary residents transition to permanent residency using legal and regulated pathways. A major reason for the increase in temporary resident numbers in the last few years has been the arrival of Ukrainians under temporary emergency measures, who have come to Canada seeking safety.
Once in Canada, newcomers have the right to reside in any province, and Alberta often sees net gains through interprovincial migration.
The federal government sets annual targets for each category of immigrants. In the most recent Immigration Levels Plan, the federal government decreased the total number of immigrants admitted into Canada (AAISA explored the implications of these changes in detail which can be found on our Insights page).
There is a common notion that Canada admits more refugees than other categories; however, refugees account for only 14% of the overall targets, while the economic class accounts for 60%.
What supports do newcomers receive?
Settlement services are federally and provincially funded investments to nonprofit Settlement Providing Organizations (SPOs) to help newcomers learn English or French, gain employment, become self-sufficient, and integrate into Canadian society.
These supports include:
- Language classes
- Employment preparation
- Cultural orientation
- School support for children
- Mental health and trauma-informed services
- Help navigating housing, healthcare, and banking
It’s important to note that these services are only available to permanent residents and refugees, not to temporary residents like TFWs or international students. Refugee claimants can receive settlement services, but the extent of those services varies based on the stage of their claim. Generally, refugee claimants have more limited access to federally funded services until they are granted protected status.
Government Assisted Refugees receive funding from the federal government and are the only newcomer pathway that includes direct financial support from the government. The amount each individual or family receives varies based on family size. For example, a single adult receives approximately $866 per month for basic needs, and shelter, while a couple with two children receive approximately $1,759 per month. This financial support is available for a maximum of 12 months. If an individual or family begins earning income within these 12 months, their eligibility for financial support is reviewed and adjusted accordingly.
What is Alberta’s role in immigration?
Immigration is a shared responsibility between Alberta and the federal government. The province chooses skilled immigrants through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program, provides input on federal targets, and funds integration programs and K-12 newcomer supports.
Canada’s immigration system is designed to attract individuals who have the skills and talents to grow the economy, which is why immigration targets focus on economic immigrants. These skilled immigrants in high-demand fields such as healthcare, engineering, and technology are essential for filling critical labour shortages, contributing to the economy, and paying taxes.
According to the 2021 Census, immigrants account for 1 in 4 workers in Canada’s health care sector. More than 40% of newcomers to Canada between 2016 and 2021 working in the health care sector were employed in key areas such as nursing, residential care facilities, and home health care services.
Canada’s labour force and economy are supported in part by immigration due to several demographic factors such as Canadians having fewer children, and our aging population.
What to look out for and how to navigate misinformation on immigration
- Look for credible, fact-based sources of information, such as Census data, official government data (i.e., Statistics Canada), and recognized institutions (i.e., universities).
- Question the messaging; is it based on fear or evidence?
- Seek out the experiences of newcomers and those who work in the settlement and integration sector to provide you with more information about the services and supports available to newcomers.
Learn more from these resources to inform your decisions