The Alberta government is hitting pause on a recent policy change cutting off health coverage for some temporary foreign workers, including youth coming to Canada on working vacations.
The province quietly introduced the change Jan. 7, but it did not receive widespread attention until a CBC News story last week.
Following that story, a government spokesperson confirmed Monday that the program change is on hold.
“Following an initial review, Alberta’s government is pausing implementation of this change to review the policy going forward,” Kyle Warner, with the ministry of primary and preventive health, said in a statement.
He called the original change a “premature decision” made within the department.
Warner said the government heard concerns from temporary foreign workers and employers about the end of coverage for workers with specific International Experience Canada work permits, called Type 58 permits.
The permits allow people to come to Canada to work and travel temporarily in the country, up to two years.
Communities in the Bow Valley region, including Banff and Lake Louise, rely heavily on seasonal and temporary foreign workers to sustain their tourism-based economies.
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Tineke van der Merwe, with the Bow Valley Immigration Partnership, said they welcome the government’s decision to pause changes to health benefits eligibility for these workers.
“However, we continue to urgently seek clarity,” van der Merwe said in an interview.
Van der Merwe said they need a timeline of when the review process might conclude and whether those who arrive to Alberta during the government’s review process will be eligible.
She said in the next eight weeks, as the Bow Valley tourism and hospitality sector heads towards the spring and summer season, employers are going to be hiring for the busy summer season.
If potential newcomers choose to come to the mountains but learn they’re not eligible or can’t renew their health cards, it could have a significant negative impact on the local workforce at a key time, van der Merwe said.
“This is absolutely critical that people are able to find clear, timely public information, and to the best of our knowledge, at the moment that’s not available,” she said.
The town of Jasper, at the northern edge of the Rockies, also relies on workers from elsewhere.
Mayor Richard Ireland said in a statement Friday “everything” that affects the well-being of those workers affects the entire community.
“Seasonal and international workers play a crucial role in supporting local businesses and visitor services and contribute positively to community health and vitality,” he said.
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