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http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html# ^% T W3 k! k( [+ h% D
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! O. H6 K2 v. UCALGARY — 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. & }& A* i8 ] o/ S) x1 s
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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. 7 _: u, s. q: z* C( u6 U; F) f" S3 ?
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Right now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program. " f+ l$ J9 j& d' q4 v
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Federal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada. 2 b4 o9 e. K7 s- g( _4 @4 m
! a9 D* V1 L9 ]. p( z. _+ g# WThe 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. ( S8 Q- [: {: s6 X3 x9 S' n' q
; C1 G8 D* T' Y8 }: _ _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. , x( m, _' G- _- [8 k( j& M& {
5 k/ G- q0 p9 I& i9 |But Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers.
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" g' \6 m1 }8 s' q9 _7 b“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said.
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, H' w! Z9 V# G5 |: z“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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( W' [% m2 b: I8 c c3 Q/ kStelmach said the province is giving $285 million in new money for affordable housing and is trying to tackle that problem. |
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