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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. : a, @0 A" {* i! ?9 R: P; ?- o
9 H4 f4 C" J9 B1 M. t" H# I8 uAlberta Premier Ed Stelmach says the agreement will cut red tape and give the province increased influence and control of immigration. 7 u' h* @, E0 q( {* J( C! I
2 G6 n2 q& I$ p+ J8 DThe rise to 25,000 immigrant workers per year will happen over the next 10 years under the provincial nominee program. % w7 |. z$ f. h* J% Q# u2 V
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Right now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program. ( S" C+ U6 K! \- h: u5 ~
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Federal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada.
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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 u. {; \6 i+ N3 W$ F$ A0 F/ r2 j
& N8 m6 D/ s v$ r4 qIt’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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7 i* g7 ]9 b0 n. Z/ {: rBut Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers.
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“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said.
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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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