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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. 7 W4 }- O0 l% F1 u( C* t4 c3 N
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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. 2 V2 O. \2 b' E$ L- k! ]$ _6 `- g
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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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. |" r$ A, P+ K: ARight now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program.
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5 l9 S* W. e. nFederal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada.
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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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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. . h6 O0 f! v& A/ D! D: s8 Y e: B5 b$ p
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But Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers.
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“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.”
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; T% e8 j! Q/ U( U1 u7 eStelmach said the province is giving $285 million in new money for affordable housing and is trying to tackle that problem. |
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