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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. * M* ?8 N7 \/ z) D
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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. 8 N( Z9 Z7 \# T) p
" x1 h# }% \) a8 RThe rise to 25,000 immigrant workers per year will happen over the next 10 years under the provincial nominee program.
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( _7 B: S' p! l* lRight 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.
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7 y; ^" C8 ^" WThe 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. . i) [7 i$ [- N3 p* }/ ^0 C
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But 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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3 V! A% t( X( b. Z% i8 M“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.” & Q& [, I5 Y% b3 s7 z# W
0 O n( a; H+ M( gStelmach said the province is giving $285 million in new money for affordable housing and is trying to tackle that problem. |
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