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http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html7 j4 z3 S8 ?( w
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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.
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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. ' w! m6 j$ N) B1 x
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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. " v# p1 u, w. R* z" h7 X; q
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Right 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. % S8 n1 I- ?8 y( y! i9 i3 ?% v
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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. $ ^- I: z% S2 U- C
1 l9 o& M, w) W: c( c R) ~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. * c' R- ~4 n) ] R: ^
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But Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers. ; @1 A4 q0 [( |* y
2 w+ v: q) A% d; U“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said. 6 ~1 E" R0 M" A* O, o5 H, o0 E6 b
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“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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) ]3 t+ {$ {' _9 a7 B. oStelmach said the province is giving $285 million in new money for affordable housing and is trying to tackle that problem. |
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