Following a recommendation by the Economic and Community Development Committee, Barrhead County council has opted to let Barrhead’s community designation under the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program’s (AAIP) Rural Renewal Stream expire on Nov. 4.
Barrhead County and the Town of Barrhead were approved as a designated community under the AAIP in November 2022. Officials say the goal of participating was to support employers with long-standing difficulties hiring qualified workers and keeping those workers long term.
Since then, the Barrhead community has amended candidate endorsement criteria twice: once in 2023, to require candidates to be living and working in Canada under a temporary work permit and again in 2024, to clarify that the temporary work permit must be valid for at least eight months and workers must be paid at least $20 per hour.
Between November 2022 and August 2025, the community reportedly issued 177 endorsement letters and supported 43 employers in securing long term employees. With the opportunity to extend the designation for two more years approaching, the county underwent communications with enrolled employers, the town, settlement services and other stakeholders about the successes and challenges of the program.
The survey found 48 per cent of all endorsed candidates in the community work in low skill, low education or low responsibility positions. Low wage and entry level positions do not contribute to the community’s goal of filling long term vacancies with skilled workers, the survey analysis notes.
Similarly, 49 per cent of endorsed candidates are paid less than $20 per hour, which can be reflective of a lower entry level position. Before the $20 per hour criterion was added in 2024, that value was 57 per cent.
The majority of candidate employers (82 per cent) are within the Town of Barrhead and 91 per cent of endorsed candidates work for town employers.
Employers that responded to the survey said the AAIP significantly helped with workforce challenges and most candidates appear to be staying in the position they were endorsed for, rather than moving away from the community or changing positions.
Settlement Services and Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) reported challenges like limited transportation and housing, and some language barriers, but were generally able to navigate them by collaborating with local groups. Resources stretched thin at peak volumes, however, so these services would need more consistent and dedicated resources than they can currently provide if the program was to continue.
Other challenges impacting the decision to let the designation lapse include decreases to immigration programs at the federal and provincial levels and increasing wait times for provincial nomination.
The analysis states the likelihood of candidates receiving provincial nomination and federal permanent residency is declining for the foreseeable future. This year, nomination certificates allocated to Alberta were cut by 50 per cent compared to 2024.
Overall, the committee found that without more data to show that candidates will be able to receive permanent residency and remain in the community, the AAIP’s Rural Renewal Stream is unlikely to accomplish the community’s goal of retaining qualified workers long term.
Barrhead County council approved the recommendation to let the designation expire during its regularly scheduled meeting on Sept. 16.
