Santa has abandoned the gift-giving business to seek his fortune in Alberta's oil patch, leaving many children in the province with no one to tell their wish lists.

Santa is the latest of the province's labourers to quit his old job in favour of a higher-paying gig, thanks to the province's booming economy. Companies that dispatch Santas to malls and parties have reported a difficult time finding staff.

Victor Nevada, headmaster of the Calgary-based Santa School, said companies could attract more workers if they paid a little more.

"I was looking at the news article a couple of nights ago and a personal shopper was making $50 an hour," he said. "I would venture to say that that's a little bit stressful and so forth but I don't think it's a more stressful job than being a mall Santa."

The top wage for a mall Santa in Canada is about $25 an hour, Nevada said, but most Santas earn $12 to $15 an hour.

Santas also have to shell out for expensive costumes and protective gear, including steel-toed boots and shin pads, Nevada pointed out.

Malls should classify the Santa position as skilled labour, he said, given the job requires skills ranging from acting to psychology.

"Santas encounter stories that cause a lot of emotional distress for Santa and children generally are regarding Santa at that point as psychologist, I suppose," he said.

"They're looking to Santa to provide some closure, some comfort and so forth and that's why I say it's a skilled position. If a personal shopper can make $50 an hour I would think that a skilled Santa should also make at least about $50 an hour."