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http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html$ G3 e: l0 d+ m7 Y
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; g: R7 K: Q. F% k4 GCALGARY — 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. 7 P% q" Q; A* U: R0 f
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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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* J8 E8 c( A8 f( ]The rise to 25,000 immigrant workers per year will happen over the next 10 years under the provincial nominee program.
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Q. e0 T; E6 g* Y; P0 LRight 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. - T7 k' t6 O9 P u3 ~, O
4 x9 V6 ~- ` P7 uThe 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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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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7 w* Q, m Y9 Z- m9 TBut Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers.
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# F0 p4 R* M% E8 G“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said.
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% n* G4 ?& D5 U. s9 H2 i U2 t9 x6 F- N“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.” % B6 ^8 }/ G% p: B# U
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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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