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http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html, x7 v% p/ @% n3 ]/ \4 b9 l9 t8 g
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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. ! s1 N* @6 y. z; T9 W6 B2 C
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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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4 c# u7 K& K/ Z$ A1 u* M& oThe rise to 25,000 immigrant workers per year will happen over the next 10 years under the provincial nominee program. l7 e. N Z# d1 o% _
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Right now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program. ( h% }) x, E9 F% v( {
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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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2 d8 l: O& I, W: i( J6 r/ mThe 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. ( p! y6 S% z6 P3 Q- S3 o3 A
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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. H: B+ F+ X' M9 D, x
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But Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers.
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$ b6 F( i% I9 K) |“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said. 4 o( M) K2 w% o* _( |
8 k" a" M! O2 }. d8 R“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.” . u) O. _* P8 `' R- P X
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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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