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http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html) o- s7 v3 S7 o2 R
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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. 1 [) S1 w, \; a/ ^8 O% I
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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. & a8 W X& ]6 v/ Y8 }8 p4 ^5 x M
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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. , o6 Y- e: x1 i7 R$ u
" D9 E0 l& k- @7 ]1 b4 {: Y& [Right now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program. 9 b: A0 y" F7 h) N% U/ w# [9 C3 z
7 |# X9 [5 Q* l; h$ e5 n" F' T5 gFederal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada.
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( t2 y- \/ h3 T$ w7 t4 s, HThe 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. $ n6 W8 j! ?3 g! p5 [6 d
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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. 4 C9 k, G4 m8 c% |8 O6 i
1 e( l0 B* W! O7 W5 ?/ @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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" Y! R+ @* Q$ f, ]“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.” ! I% N1 D. c Z, G' Z }
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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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