February 24, 2026
RED FM News Desk
Alberta’s United Conservative Party government says it plans to table legislation this spring aimed at tightening immigration oversight and expanding provincial policing powers.
The announcement follows Premier Danielle Smith’s preview of the upcoming provincial budget on Monday. Smith indicated the budget is expected to run a deficit but will include a significant 22 per cent increase in funding for doctors.
Government House Leader Joseph Schow outlined the legislative agenda, highlighting a proposed bill that would regulate immigration by creating a licensing system for international recruiters and immigration consultants. The legislation would also increase monitoring of employers involved in hiring newcomers.
The move comes after Smith unveiled plans for an October referendum that will ask Albertans questions related to immigration control and potential constitutional changes.
When questioned about the need for both new legislation and a referendum, Schow said the two initiatives would complement one another.
“This legislation is important now, particularly as we begin to regulate recruiters and immigration consultants through a formal licensing process,” Schow said.
He added that the goal is to ensure the system operates fairly and transparently. Schow also pointed to anecdotal accounts and media reports suggesting that some newcomers have arrived in Alberta under misleading circumstances.
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