 鲜花( 2)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html. Y6 g6 [9 }9 g4 }* m. J0 E
2 Z6 B( x3 R7 w8 [) E# e
3 e; {9 n V, ~+ H$ KCALGARY — 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. ; s- R) f' q5 T$ D" V
7 b1 g8 ^" q3 V" d8 Z
Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach says the agreement will cut red tape and give the province increased influence and control of immigration. 7 _" _* |( ]. t; D( I4 L5 T
1 O) o. L0 K4 OThe rise to 25,000 immigrant workers per year will happen over the next 10 years under the provincial nominee program.
7 h+ K" V4 {% P9 B/ n9 Y4 n: S3 s& g; b' B9 `, {3 M
Right now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program. - v# k [) I( e: _
: P2 _! K Q U
Federal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada. . e( o. u# A7 `/ a* W0 R
" @) e) _& Y1 H ~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.
/ K4 V! O; b M4 B4 T
1 s+ W5 a6 [' j$ [6 q4 w2 `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. 0 f- m: h" F0 M1 L9 ~
) F/ Z3 X" d% H- UBut Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers.
, v& R3 M3 C& I% h
# |" n. E6 {# Y4 Q3 ~2 I" t“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said.
. n7 C+ e/ O% x' m% q+ i; J8 S$ t( \4 i. q- C- ^3 S% M4 |
“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.” 5 l8 c( F* \& V( a6 [1 _0 r0 _
" B1 p }* |0 Z( m4 q" e
Stelmach said the province is giving $285 million in new money for affordable housing and is trying to tackle that problem. |
|