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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.
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0 d6 N/ U- A/ N$ i o, \Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach says the agreement will cut red tape and give the province increased influence and control of immigration. 5 C( P1 i: H5 m0 J& o
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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. * r0 e. ~, ~2 s( l# _- n" V6 @
/ W7 \4 ^0 X: `* @. I bRight now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program. - _; c8 Y0 u4 N' C% v
3 J T# w) m( m* h1 xFederal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada. ; A+ p$ G6 j% G5 I
2 y+ f/ F7 |* ?0 _2 aThe 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. : L! r9 P' i+ K
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But Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers.
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: T+ a& O3 |2 q' `/ n! A“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said.
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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.” + _# l" H& m* ?' f" e6 L
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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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