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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. % Y" K% x7 Y0 K
) A* O3 a9 K1 \4 f: b" ?Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach says the agreement will cut red tape and give the province increased influence and control of immigration. : I0 G$ c! `/ s; 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.
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/ V0 N; O4 G+ n9 t- @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. 5 T5 y/ w5 o" ~5 u! V' v) ^) w, c; ~
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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.
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. h4 X: g K8 x) N/ f% cIt’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. , o% v) t. f, R
4 Z, o% J8 q. M3 ZBut Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers.
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, _& I/ `/ L4 `" X3 F1 d# D, N3 o“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said. 2 e6 m. y9 m: ~ g. M: w
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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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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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