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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. 6 C U1 r9 z* U% Q0 l
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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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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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' r* M, E# `: b F3 jRight 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. % F ]8 d; y3 |3 @ L' Q; w* 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. 7 @- x! x1 [, K( G) n
7 Z. z% u8 h& f' {3 N7 ]0 o( CIt’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. $ ~; g e6 B/ @0 Z
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But Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers. 0 M; t J2 x( p! L
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“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said. : A `7 o5 A8 n( X. u$ h0 i
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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.”
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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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