Alberta’s rising unemployment rate – a warning for potential immigrants into Canada

Alberta, Canada, 10th April: According to latest figures by Statistics Canada, unemployment rate in Alberta is rising, and this should send warning signals to those desirous of immigrating into Alberta.

In the month of March, unemployment rate is 7.5 percent, registering an increase of 0.6 percent. The official figures reveal that the rate has been highest since the year 1996.

One of the most probable reasons for this hike in the unemployment rate is due to increasing number of people looking for work in Alberta province in Canada.

Although, there was a marginal increase in the number of part-time jobs in Alberta in the month of March when nearly 1,100 new jobs were created, however, this increase was far less than the number of full-time jobs lost in March. The data by Statistics Canada shows a loss of 3,400 jobs while employment showed a decline of 4,500 full-time jobs. 

Alberta happens to be the only province in Canada having employment below the level registered in July, 2009 when economic crisis had touched its bottom in the country. March is the third consecutive month registering a plunge in the unemployment rate in Alberta.

This soaring unemployment in Alberta is certainly going to put off many prospective Canadian visa holders desire to immigrate into this Canadian province. 

Moreover, as the employment scene is much better in other provinces of Canada, immigrants need to think twice before taking any decision for immigrating into Alberta, especially those looking for new jobs in Alberta.

According to Todd Hirsch, a senior economist with ATB Financial, the job report for Alberta is, undoubtedly, disappointing and the province is lagging behind the rest of the nation in terms of employment opportunities.

Hirsch, however, cited optimism in the employment scenario of Alberta in the coming months since jobs will be created in the year 2010.

The job loss in Alberta is in sharp contrast to the significant job gains in the country as well as a steady jobless rate of 8.2 percent. Since July 2009, Canada has created nearly 176,000 new jobs till March this year.