Alberta Legislature

By The Canadian Press

Provincial Politics

Alberta government pausing recent policy change that cut off health coverage for some temporary foreign workers

Feb 10, 2026 | 10:26 AM

The Alberta government is hitting pause on a recent policy change that cut off health coverage for some temporary foreign workers, including youth coming to Canada on working vacations.

The province quietly introduced the change in early January, but it did not receive widespread attention until a C-B-C News story last week.

Now, a health ministry spokesperson says it was a “premature decision” made within the department.

The spokesperson says after hearing concerns from workers and employers, it’s pausing implementation on the policy while it reviews the change.

Communities in the Bow Valley region, including Banff and Lake Louise, rely heavily on seasonal and temporary foreign workers to sustain the tourist business.

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Tineke van der Merwe, with the Bow Valley Immigration Partnership, says they welcome the policy pause.

But she says it’s urgent Premier Danielle Smith’s government communicate eligibility rules in the coming weeks.

She says employers will be looking to hire for the busy summer season, and potential newcomers need to know what the rules are.

(The Canadian Press)