A rural immigration initiative in Alberta is providing an example of how greater local involvement in immigration decisions could help communities address workforce shortages. The experience comes as Albertans prepare to vote in a referendum on whether the province should gain more authority over immigration.
The city of Brooks, in southern Alberta, began working with the provincial government in 2022 to obtain greater influence over immigration selection. Through the Rural Renewal Stream, the city can issue endorsement letters to businesses seeking workers with specific skills.
The program proved particularly useful for pharmacist Ebenezer Asare, whose pharmacy had lost three pharmacists within six months as workers moved to larger cities such as Calgary. To keep his business operating, he had to hire temporary pharmacists at significantly higher costs.
Through Brooks’ immigration program, Asare recruited nine pharmacists from overseas. Many were able to obtain permanent residency with the help of local endorsement letters. The newcomers were also supported with practical training and professional recertification, helping them begin working quickly. The success of the initiative eventually allowed Asare to open another pharmacy in Medicine Hat.
The Brooks program reflects a broader shift in Canada’s immigration system. Following the pandemic, Canada increased immigration significantly in response to labour shortages. At the same time, the country moved away from relying mainly on a general points-based system and began placing greater emphasis on attracting workers with skills needed in particular industries and regions.
Alberta has also adopted a more targeted approach. Through its provincial nominee program, the province can recommend individuals for permanent residency. In 2026, Alberta is expected to nominate about 6,600 people from the hundreds of thousands of permanent residents welcomed across Canada. The province has increasingly focused on sectors such as tourism and rural economies.
Officials in Brooks had been seeking greater influence over immigration for years because local industries, including the meat-processing sector, regularly struggled to find enough workers. Brooks was among the first Alberta communities to establish a local nomination initiative in cooperation with surrounding municipalities.
Since its introduction, the Rural Renewal Stream has expanded to other communities across Alberta, producing thousands of nominations since 2022. Officials involved in the program say local decision-making can help connect newcomers with employers that genuinely need their skills.
However, the initiative has also faced challenges, highlighting both the potential advantages and limitations of giving communities a larger role in immigration. Alberta’s immigration minister has described the program as a way for rural employers to recruit newcomers with specific, in-demand skills when suitable workers cannot be found locally.
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