 鲜花( 2)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html
1 F/ F' y0 Q6 S& O4 y3 D+ l
! c4 l9 k# I! L8 B+ q+ v0 c) d2 O1 w* z. Y0 r c/ O' U
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. * U5 k2 i. a8 `$ w
( e& v% o8 g" F3 G
Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach says the agreement will cut red tape and give the province increased influence and control of immigration.
7 x0 G4 ]# H; i9 A; P H
7 h! H8 ]# O* E( e! \' hThe rise to 25,000 immigrant workers per year will happen over the next 10 years under the provincial nominee program.
0 G1 d) t# y; m% k0 } |* e0 @$ o1 Y; x3 D- R
Right now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program. ' K3 v0 r% y$ ^
1 @" x( t( C$ \. ^& M2 r' BFederal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada.
: [: h7 Z5 ~/ @: Z+ M1 ^* Z2 [" h9 {1 Y8 G# @
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.
6 D; N; r' W2 i, E4 I' H: D- \3 H- b& q5 D) \
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. 6 w8 @9 w0 E. Z3 X- P
: y! J! J3 L9 p5 I g) t/ k$ jBut Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers. " @/ c- o6 w6 I0 T& p$ f
1 {% o, u: Y2 Z6 v% u6 @$ l* W
“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said. # Y9 K) @0 S+ m
- M$ F8 J$ p" y! z; S1 A/ H“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.” % m: c' O: T3 I( ~/ [$ _
v4 j8 v" }) @/ v) G4 |
Stelmach said the province is giving $285 million in new money for affordable housing and is trying to tackle that problem. |
|