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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. + q# e* N4 D5 E' E" w& l1 s
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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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. x) `+ f. Z& s$ d, s0 t6 ^; fThe rise to 25,000 immigrant workers per year will happen over the next 10 years under the provincial nominee program.
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. h: G1 m0 {' f% n& y" K, J) ZRight now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program.
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3 i) a$ F; T3 S4 c) ^3 H) l. DFederal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada. ( S( X3 m& T6 f* \/ q+ n
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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. # C% y3 B) F6 S! [
9 Z9 f9 w# }$ D) W& ?8 hBut Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers. 9 q0 `3 w; x+ w7 Z0 \1 P
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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.” 9 G8 ]) ]6 o3 |+ R, r& Z# k% e) T g
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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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