Young Romanian women are coming to Canada by the hundreds to dance in strip clubs, which are suffering a shortage of exotic dancers, immigration statistics show. Some 582 Romanian women were among a record 880 strippers given work permits last year to table dance in Canadian girlie bars, the statistics show.

"Canadian girls don't want to pursue this occupation," Toronto lawyer Mendel Green said yesterday. "There is a major shortage of dancers at most clubs."

The women are recruited in their homelands by agents and must undergo a series of checks by Canadian embassy staff to obtain a visa. Most end up working in Toronto-area clubs.

The Citizenship and Immigration Canada statistics, which were obtained by the Toronto Sun yesterday, show the number of permits provided to dancers abroad.

The United States was a distant second as a supplier of girls last year at 31, the Czech Republic donated 28, Mexico gave up 21 and Bulgaria sent 16.

"This industry pays taxes and employs hundreds of women," Green said. "Most of the women are recruited abroad."

He said Romanian strippers lead the pack in obtaining visas for Canada because they're highly educated, speak French and English, and that country has little corruption.

To obtain a visa, the women must show a resume to prove they can dance nude, pass an interview, medical and security checks.

Lawyer Richard Kurland said most of the women come here on year-long visas to earn money to send to their families.

He said most of the Romanians pass police checks and return home when their visas expire.

In 2002, 350 dancers were given permits to bump and grind here, 154 in 2001 and 319 in 2000.