OTTAWA — Alberta Immigration Minister Joseph Schow is urging the federal government to address illegal immigration in Canada. He claims that the issue is straining infrastructure and public services across the country.

Schow stated, “I’m not going to sugarcoat it, we believe there’s 500,000 illegal immigrants currently spread across Canada and these individuals are benefitting from taxpayer-funded services.” He criticized the federal government for ignoring this estimated number, calling it a significant problem.

As Alberta's minister of jobs, economy, and trade, Schow is advocating for federal officials to consider the estimated number of undocumented migrants when setting immigration targets for the upcoming year. “These illegal migrants must be taken into account, as every province is feeling the pressure of Ottawa’s mismanagement of the immigration system,” he said.

Recently, federal officials acknowledged the need to reduce immigration rates after welcoming millions of newcomers during the COVID-19 pandemic. A new immigration levels plan proposes a 19 percent reduction in temporary arrivals and an eight percent decrease in permanent resident admissions over the next three years. Prime Minister Mark Carney has also committed to capping non-permanent resident numbers at below five percent of the population.

Schow expressed skepticism about these efforts, arguing that without accurate data on illegal immigration, the federal government cannot set realistic targets. “If they’re leaving out this huge chunk of data, how can they set real targets?” he asked.

While the exact number of undocumented migrants in Canada remains uncertain, a briefing note from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada last year suggested the figure could be as high as 500,000. Between February 2017 and June 2025, approximately 114,373 irregular border crossers applied to stay in Canada.

Schow emphasized that the lack of precise data on illegal immigration underscores the need for the federal government to slow its intake of migrants. “The fact that they don’t have an exact, or close to exact, number just shows again how badly they’ve lost control of the system,” he said.

A recent poll indicated that 48 percent of Canadians believe mass deportations are necessary to address the issue of illegal immigration. Although Schow did not provide an estimate for Alberta, he noted that the province has experienced significant interprovincial migration and population growth in recent years. Alberta's population increased by about 200,000 last year and continues to grow robustly into 2025.

Schow warned that the demographic pressures are undermining the prospects for upward mobility in Alberta. “People around the world rightly see us as a beacon of hope and opportunity … and for that exact reason, we have to be mindful that we’re growing our population in a way that’s strategic,” he said.

The office of federal Immigration Minister Lena Diab did not respond to requests for comment regarding Schow’s statements. Immigration is one of six topics being discussed by the Alberta government as part of the Alberta Next Panel, which is exploring ways to enhance the province’s sovereignty. One proposal includes withholding provincially funded social services from foreign nationals who have not been vetted by the province. Schow did not elaborate on the panel's discussions but expressed support for increased provincial control over immigration. “They’ve lost the trust of Canadians, and I’m not sure they can get it back, so I’m making the call for the federal government to involve the provinces more when it comes to immigration,” he said.