 鲜花( 2)  鸡蛋( 0)
|
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html
5 @' H) Y5 u8 p" A6 z* V
- U e/ h4 d1 c+ O
4 K8 d5 I; Y6 T# |# kCALGARY — 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. % v% n/ Y8 V( l( F
' \1 n5 e+ E4 i# w8 i
Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach says the agreement will cut red tape and give the province increased influence and control of immigration. ! ^. [/ Y( C7 b, @
" k0 A, @: q4 V* ` G. TThe rise to 25,000 immigrant workers per year will happen over the next 10 years under the provincial nominee program. ( D( x+ t2 y% Y$ U* \
$ n& r* [) r: cRight now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program.
2 Z" D7 l* v8 K3 x) C, {8 U" ^: Y4 p1 L& P0 U0 n
Federal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada.
) ?; l: n1 E. [( Q) [9 D+ m6 g- |% R% a( P# [& o0 Y0 D2 Z
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 \5 P0 P/ c, v/ }: Z; f% S) b( O2 K- E4 D; Q
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 r' z7 Y4 {- t& Y/ R; l4 _
9 B& S5 \' d, u( }: q* y/ w
But Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers.
* g2 m9 `7 \7 x* E6 Y# N* |
$ ~- i& z, Y' Q; |4 {! b; c“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said. ' m+ t4 L" R. x( }5 \! k
$ \- y) d$ Q$ t! J( 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.” / P+ K8 e* X# A6 A2 \3 n: |- U
) Z" E3 ~" e+ L0 @$ tStelmach said the province is giving $285 million in new money for affordable housing and is trying to tackle that problem. |
|