Helping Ukrainian evacuees become truck drivers, released by Alberta on 15 August 2024
| Good day ladies and gentlemen, this is IRC news, I am Joy Stephen, a certified Canadian Immigration practitioner, and I bring to you this Provincial News Bulletin from the province of Alberta. This recording originates from the Polinsys studios in Cambridge, Ontario.
| Addressing the truck driver shortage in Alberta is crucial as the lack of drivers affects everything from retail goods to industrial supplies. This shortage not only hinders business operations and growth but also inflates costs for consumers and industries alike. By filling these essential positions, Alberta can help lower costs for consumers, support local businesses and ensure the smooth movement of goods across the province.
Alberta currently has a shortage of about 4,000 commercial truck drivers, which has been a factor in ongoing supply chain issues over the past few years. In response, Alberta’s government has amended the eligibility criteria in the Class 1 Experience and Equivalency Program to allow Ukraine evacuees who hold or have held category CE licences to reduce the time and cost to obtain their Alberta Class 1 driver’s licences.
“Allowing Ukrainian evacuees with truck driving experience to enter the commercial driving industry is a win-win. It will help alleviate the ongoing driver shortage and support evacuees from Ukraine who have had so much to deal with over the past two and a half years.”
Devin Dreeshen, Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors
Transportation and Economic Corridors will also expand the Driving Back to Work (DBTW) grant criteria to include Ukraine evacuees. As part of the implementation of the new learning pathway in 2025-26, Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors will monitor driver competency to inform possible expansion of Class 1 driver licence recognition to other foreign countries to further reduce the truck driver shortage in Alberta.
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