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http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html9 A" I3 s0 Z ?$ V, e# u
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: s! T. B. H7 g0 {1 W$ \2 tCALGARY — 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 o4 Q8 D/ M6 Y, v' B
5 M8 `' Y' D. y! w/ e: J+ zAlberta 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.
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Right now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program. 4 a* B9 [2 j& K2 ~3 Y9 g
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Federal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada. ! j$ Y( @" Z; |
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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. 6 }* y0 s5 S4 k. b3 g* S# O5 R
2 E: q( M, G i; B8 a& ?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.
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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. $ U0 B; A! ~! B: ~ b7 \0 p+ B1 Z
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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.” ) y& V) }, F9 V4 U% q& m: B
2 |: {1 E5 j8 w! X3 F. V6 E# m7 uStelmach said the province is giving $285 million in new money for affordable housing and is trying to tackle that problem. |
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