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http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html- U4 T3 V5 g# @2 D
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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. # }) X" m% Q- k
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Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach says the agreement will cut red tape and give the province increased influence and control of immigration.
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! P- i4 |$ a8 {* _) v5 n7 g8 JThe rise to 25,000 immigrant workers per year will happen over the next 10 years under the provincial nominee program.
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Right now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program.
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Federal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada.
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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.
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# i6 ?" c0 n8 A( ~* T/ ~$ m1 ]It’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.
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But Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers. % p& w# O! y5 w; o. E
2 w. ^! H; P" D2 D“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said. 7 Y* j8 ~. d$ i
7 a+ i! Q# R& p' Q" a. T6 y“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.” 8 U; V4 k; }$ x2 P/ l' J
2 i4 ]) v5 h* M! z) iStelmach said the province is giving $285 million in new money for affordable housing and is trying to tackle that problem. |
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