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http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html
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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. $ V0 v) o" z" A$ p# [9 a
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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. 3 H% [; ]% J3 K: x( h5 i
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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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& D. q8 C: N( z2 Y! a1 K5 s F7 S; dRight now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program. b- m! F% l$ h6 q1 H6 j
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Federal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada. ( b u- ^: \7 Y
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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.
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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. ( B/ H# p$ s1 d! j) \& Y+ t+ p( x7 f0 e
4 O! l1 _$ O! f! a“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said. . f( P& {: m; Q
+ N: R3 n" b0 P, _: U“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.”
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7 J% k, N N4 O4 z& E! n9 hStelmach said the province is giving $285 million in new money for affordable housing and is trying to tackle that problem. |
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