 鲜花( 2)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html% Q3 `, I! h- [1 E: B9 i
# ^. U4 D4 K8 ]; ~
7 Z0 ~; g( u$ d- ]8 ~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.
% L7 k" {* w& g* I! R1 B7 ^8 R4 ^! D* c9 O
Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach says the agreement will cut red tape and give the province increased influence and control of immigration.
$ a9 Z; l9 h! u: J7 P- `! X2 \+ Q# A5 C* ?) b/ ]
The rise to 25,000 immigrant workers per year will happen over the next 10 years under the provincial nominee program.
5 G S* E2 w( S/ I0 l* w0 k8 |6 R. y# i, E! u* Y% x- w
Right now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program.
9 x4 _; ]( l+ N/ l1 Z$ u e% N, H6 @2 \ [: f' C4 w4 r' j
Federal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada. ! f6 n! w* n4 M" x3 X ]6 _/ I; j7 F( J
( s6 H# Y5 T/ U9 b9 V6 y
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.
/ H/ [! c" M" H$ b1 f6 U# J! |$ F) F
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. - p5 i* y3 ^- O. q! E
# Q' k# f* Y. y% d% C
But Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers. . e' Z$ a* S' Z7 g$ p
1 G6 T2 ^: K+ z3 {9 L& l1 ~4 G6 H9 I' I
“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said.
: _* @& [! u+ W+ M6 S3 r( p/ `5 t; `+ F& k& P
“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.”
$ T5 q N4 s; y6 U7 N- z0 I7 `0 v: \; I
Stelmach said the province is giving $285 million in new money for affordable housing and is trying to tackle that problem. |
|