Workshop Your Business - Navigating Immigration Pathways in a Changing Landscape

Description

Strengthen your business with immigration-focused workforce strategies.
Join us for this Workshop Your Business session — a practical, two-hour learning experience designed for employers, HR leaders, and business owners navigating talent challenges in today’s competitive market.

Purpose:

Grande Prairie is growing – but employers, service providers and newcomers face changing immigration rules, labor shortages, and complex legal systems. Grande Prairie’s workforce includes 13.2% immigrants (8,360 people) and 1.6% non-permanent residents—a vital talent pool for local businesses.

Join the Grande Prairie Chamber of Commerce and the City of Grande Prairie for a practical, employer-focused session designed to help businesses better understand immigration options, strengthen retention, and build inclusive workplaces that support long-term growth.

Why Employers Should Attend

• Gain practical newcomer recruitment and retention strategies
• Get clarity on navigating workforce challenges in a changing policy landscape
• Strengthen your business while contributing to Grande Prairie’s welcoming reputation

A single space for learning, connection, and planning solutions.

Hosted by:

Grande Prairie Chamber of Commerce • City of Grande Prairie • Holthe Immigration Law

Meet the Speakers

Alicia Backman-Beharry:

Alicia Backman-Beharry has over 20 years of experience as an immigration lawyer. Called to the Alberta bar in 2003, she has practiced in a variety of settings, including large and boutique firms, a poverty law clinic, and as a sole practitioner. She has been part of the HIL team since 2020, working with corporations, individuals, and other lawyers to resolve complex immigration matters.

Alicia’s practice focuses on business immigration and temporary and permanent residence applications for individuals and families. She has taught immigration courses and is known for her ability to help clients understand which immigration pathways best suit their circumstances.

A dedicated volunteer, Alicia has held leadership roles with the Canadian Bar Association and served for nine years on the board of a large immigrant-serving organization in various positions. In her spare time, she and her family enjoy hiking, camping, and exploring Canada.

Mark Holthe:

Mark Holthe is a Canadian immigration lawyer with extensive experience assisting individuals, families, and businesses with all aspects of Canadian immigration law. He began his career at a large national law firm in Calgary, where he established the firm’s business immigration practice, before founding his own boutique immigration firm.

Mark advises national and multinational companies on complex immigration matters and supports temporary foreign workers in their transition to permanent residence. He has a particular passion for helping families reunite and guiding clients through every stage of their immigration journey, from study and work permits to litigation and appeals.

Before becoming a lawyer, Mark worked as an immigration officer with Citizenship and Immigration Canada and later with the Canada Border Services Agency. This background provides him with valuable insight into government processes and informs his cross-border and strategic immigration work.

Event Sponsors & Partners

• City of Grande Prairie – Project lead & coordinator.
• Grande Prairie Chamber of Commerce – Business engagement & employer session lead.
• Invest Grande Prairie (Invest GP) – Economic development and business attraction support.
• Holthe Immigration Law - Mark Holthe

Limited spots available—secure yours today!

A huge thank you to our 2026 Chamber Champions for making this series possible:

• Crystal Clear Insurance Brokers Ltd.  
• Empire Oilfield Solutions
• Green Acre Ventures Ltd.
• KLon Services 
• Mr. Mikes Steakhouse 
• Nitrogen Technologies of Canada
• Peak Beauty Academy
• RIVR Solutions
• TARA Energy Services
• The Side Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence