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http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html1 ]( `$ x- ?- |% j( c% \$ ]" o
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CALGARY — An agreement between Alberta and the federal government will allow 25,000 foreign workers per year to come to the province to aid in its worker shortage.
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; Y; ~: v U( wAlberta Premier Ed Stelmach says the agreement will cut red tape and give the province increased influence and control of immigration.
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( o; l6 O# N ?, K" N! UThe rise to 25,000 immigrant workers per year will happen over the next 10 years under the provincial nominee program.
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- b) b0 b! m- h. W6 gRight now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program.
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7 J2 O, y6 n5 JFederal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada. . T% S# g' V$ D- q
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The pact gives Alberta the power to nominate more immigrants possessing skills needed in the province and also provides more resources to help them settle here. 9 D* @3 C/ v- S5 n: k2 c+ S
- c* ?$ {+ A/ M& t/ B7 SIt’s a step in the right direction in breaking down time-consuming, frustrating barriers facing immigrants seeking to ply their skills here, said Fariboz Birjandian, chairman of the Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies. 5 E4 H+ A/ |2 D' L) ]; L( C
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But Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers.
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( A5 \) G% E7 p1 v* ]8 F“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said. / s7 m( w# M) d# [! E' j
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“And we don’t want Calgary becoming a city where all the rich people live on one side and all the poor on the other.” 0 Y. q) w$ U$ p) L; o- W$ {
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Stelmach said the province is giving $285 million in new money for affordable housing and is trying to tackle that problem. |
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