 鲜花( 2)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html
5 i* J6 c8 P) p" x
# [; i+ ?) F4 F: H1 M6 |1 F
1 r- _, h6 e8 Q- u iCALGARY — 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.
- _* _9 s: A# y( h
/ C% N. A% r/ \3 L3 A; ]Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach says the agreement will cut red tape and give the province increased influence and control of immigration. 8 k4 U% l5 u8 l8 n
; C8 u$ D% }( G# L% wThe rise to 25,000 immigrant workers per year will happen over the next 10 years under the provincial nominee program. / }, Z% @, J4 N; l4 I; |
5 A. x( }2 n7 W2 F' E8 u3 A* i
Right now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program. G$ f" p' U5 k0 R" b$ ~/ Y
' f1 b8 e# J& @) l
Federal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada. 2 n* s$ X' Q6 r: B: A. u
7 N7 A# @/ d) @$ E
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; h0 Z+ ~+ n: _# @: J C
2 d+ }) A" v) Z
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.
8 S* d' S2 ?+ D! x$ x) o
0 m1 J% h3 F7 W. iBut Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers. ' c9 m; C) |- G- I9 x
+ i4 w7 b2 [" K/ L1 N6 s" L
“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said. 1 y5 p [6 p" f: h& z9 f+ z/ W+ U" D
% Z" V8 o. u+ B8 R' G1 [) H
“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.” R' v: v- R: |0 J* G* R5 u8 F
$ B% S1 x% C" k0 F" QStelmach said the province is giving $285 million in new money for affordable housing and is trying to tackle that problem. |
|