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http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html
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/ u6 R& D5 g& Y) D) V. WCALGARY — 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. 4 T; s7 Q) T! P G
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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. 2 S9 n, a% \% s" }1 Z0 {( V2 ^& w/ [
* `7 A7 v, ^+ r) DThe rise to 25,000 immigrant workers per year will happen over the next 10 years under the provincial nominee program. ( n( T, q g7 [* I" b- I
A( q$ O& ~. {! ~$ ]* tRight now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program. \7 q0 n* @4 V( a+ a e
$ Q: [) O; H# Z; }/ \2 HFederal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada. # c+ q% C7 A9 ]' ~
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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. ! D& `0 ^3 B; Z9 ^4 a4 N; l0 r; @
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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.
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But Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers.
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4 U5 Z' B1 L( C! a. I' a“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said.
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. f( ] p- }1 }7 h @, G0 R“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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