Yellowknife (Mar 26/03) - Ottawa has promised help for NWT diamond firms seeking workers offshore.

Federal immigration minister Denis Coderre said in Edmonton last week he would speed the approval of work permits for skilled diamond workers.

The workers would have to agree to live outside major centres like Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver for three to five years.

The announcement followed lobbying efforts by NWT diamond firms to relax existing immigration red tape.

NWT firms meeting with Coderre in Ottawa last week included Diavik Diamond Mining, Canada Dene Diamonds, and Arslanian Cutting Works.

Neil McFadden, CEO of Deton'Cho Corporation, welcomed the announcement.

Deton'Cho is majority owner of Canada Dene Diamonds, formerly Deton'Cho Diamonds.

The company is currently trying to bring in management and supervisory personnel to reopen under its new owning and operating structure.

McFadden said existing immigration rules make that a long and difficult process.

"There are very few skilled diamond workers in Canada available to the secondary manufacturing industry," said McFadden.

That means looking outside the country and immigration delays make it "very difficult to move forward."

The federal initiative is part of a regional employment strategy designed to address a national shortage of skilled workers.

Coderre said the government projects a skill shortfall of one million workers in the next five years.