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http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html
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2 R3 s4 U" i% C+ Q; S6 g& A: x, VCALGARY — 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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+ Q* }3 ~8 s* b! z* }% [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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- J6 s) b2 n, t& {The rise to 25,000 immigrant workers per year will happen over the next 10 years under the provincial nominee program. 2 x/ `, t5 i q
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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. ( K) J' ~' Y* w% R; K" A# k
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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. 2 B- N% w# g5 _; k
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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. , ^8 ]2 b) X* k4 J( s" J
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But Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers. : b% \% p% V& x; ?$ ]
# H, K6 \- ]- [4 W1 A$ i" }' |; W0 K“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said.
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, L6 h! c# J, p" { 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.” ' P) P& B. ^, Q3 v% F& E2 R
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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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