The Alberta government is launching a new immigration stream to aid the growing tourism and hospitality sector in the province.
In 2022, Alberta saw $10.7 billion in tourism spending, an increase of $600 million from 2019, and supported more than 80,000 jobs.
“This growth is evidence of a full recovery from the downturn during the pandemic and puts the province on track to break visitor expenditures year over year,” said the government in a press release.
The industry is currently experiencing labour shortages in both hotels and restaurants, according to Tracy Douglas-Blowers, president and CEO of Alberta Hotel & Lodging Association, and Mark von Schellwitz, western Canada vice president of Restaurants Canada.
“Alberta restaurants face the highest job vacancy rate of any sector at nine per cent, nearly double the province’s average of five per cent,” said von Schellwitz. “Labour shortages have hindered their post-pandemic recovery.”
The tourism and…
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