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http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Alberta/2007/05/13/4177280.html
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, s3 ]) b' s) @ ~' P O, bCALGARY — 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.
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& r) x, g u( }- W$ B& W( ^Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach says the agreement will cut red tape and give the province increased influence and control of immigration. + _7 Z' |! e5 |) G( 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.
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2 c% l3 ~9 p* ?: t. K$ I7 qRight now, 2,500 workers per year come under the program.
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6 F y( T' n( g7 g3 E( G/ P5 LFederal Immigration Minister Diane Finley said the changes will be noticed by people offering their skills to Canada. ' W. h" M% L% \6 |5 s; ^* ~5 @" S
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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.
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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.
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3 e! w: B, W2 x6 M) TBut Birjandian said Alberta’s often unaffordable housing remains a daunting hurdle for many newcomers.
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3 ^4 B/ |; t3 e0 b“For people coming in, it is a bigger issue for settling in,” he said. 6 A) Q8 I: ]" I$ t5 R8 k% ~
& C# W K" T! p“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.” 5 E2 I6 G1 c% v$ h1 l }
2 K+ x1 _4 z2 W0 l# {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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