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http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html7 B, j- q: K5 J
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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.
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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. & d Z" o" S) S% y7 m
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Right now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program. ) ]3 U: d+ ^( f1 ^$ U8 Q
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Federal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada.
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+ N* S: r, @4 E4 U: n- 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.
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& X" x0 d& ~1 r% K: HBut Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers.
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, ^) o& O Y+ L: |& {4 B) t6 {# N“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said.
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/ b/ T7 l, Q8 e4 I' E0 F! j“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.” 6 n; y! r2 ]% W. y$ Y. f- h
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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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