 鲜花( 2)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html
6 \- ?# x* c% n% l+ V0 W' h8 f3 L! L8 B$ ]' D7 J% k
7 e9 ^2 b. A+ D; C) ]
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. 4 E e+ `9 x8 K/ H8 F# h9 _
1 C' i7 V+ s7 x" d, S
Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach says the agreement will cut red tape and give the province increased influence and control of immigration.
2 ^- s$ q6 j F ]% p: B
. f# o+ Z& _! EThe rise to 25,000 immigrant workers per year will happen over the next 10 years under the provincial nominee program. : f$ C/ x# @2 `" y8 V
+ l1 s0 A+ r6 A0 z! ]9 MRight now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program.
8 k1 c% M* z( z8 M8 N3 G/ k. h# q& v* L, A5 {$ _5 ]0 r: s
Federal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada.
/ i0 I# D3 W4 L$ Y' k1 H2 O' W
$ ?7 _: S. K6 D( e2 K/ jThe 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. * _4 u! B9 M+ R
0 \3 M- ^; a: ], S' {( k
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. ' W0 e& m8 r |: r6 [( D7 O
: x4 x$ j d+ w6 J% d6 M0 q1 }2 c
But Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers. 2 u# H" }/ r4 f% X! }
2 y( }8 b/ W0 X; l. s( P( \“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said. ! Y9 D4 _' g3 n. o: H
& _( F! r' U1 H/ L3 O& _
“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.” c/ C, k1 ~& P; j# u+ [
% r5 b0 u5 Y3 Q8 z# s1 Y- e
Stelmach said the province is giving $285 million in new money for affordable housing and is trying to tackle that problem. |
|