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http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html
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9 R" R( ^9 T2 l& t `- U, NCALGARY — 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. h8 I) G! g3 P: H! L3 B) N
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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. - ]. t5 g$ c; O& v/ }% ]
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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. ! m. q! z7 B. }- ?5 }( z
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Right now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program.
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$ g3 Y2 M9 y0 M: vFederal 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.
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, m1 [1 \+ w1 g3 Z( bIt’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.
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4 K! Y* g6 W) g5 t“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said. $ O6 F+ I k8 T, s
" T. I4 m9 D/ v0 t9 c& h( D“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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