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http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html' _, N) z% Z6 J* }
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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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) S% ^$ h9 \$ r" hAlberta Premier Ed Stelmach says the agreement will cut red tape and give the province increased influence and control of immigration. & R! O* R: t, D0 n$ [! a* {
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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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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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- c l- S1 d, ^; nThe 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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But Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers. * ~) J. f1 {& ]. D- ~
' s7 n6 I' c4 _" x! \& r“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said.
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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.” 1 h; f& \; w* W1 M, \
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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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