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http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html
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- d4 e* z9 {" e# M. Z0 [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. 8 ]& o) m- |, q+ I
4 u) Y1 _- E) b V$ WAlberta Premier Ed Stelmach says the agreement will cut red tape and give the province increased influence and control of immigration. # O: h$ Q' D2 l$ A1 n8 Y; u
, [" O, j& a/ Y( k0 l4 UThe rise to 25,000 immigrant workers per year will happen over the next 10 years under the provincial nominee program. % Q& y1 b6 y$ t& h8 ?
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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. A ^( N: @7 e9 a3 g
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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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+ ^2 \( y/ f4 Z" w* H% `& g+ f: ^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. / }( A9 ~" [& w$ p
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But Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers. # S$ \' Y7 Z- v9 i7 l' ^
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“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said. & b/ S! e0 ?$ u) Z+ M% u
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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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( s; o d. D8 ~( bStelmach said the province is giving $285 million in new money for affordable housing and is trying to tackle that problem. |
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