Ukraine crisis: Canada opens to unlimited number of Ukrainian immigrants

Canada is opening new immigration channels for Ukrainians who wish to live in Canada permanently or temporarily.

With 1.4 million Ukrainians, Canada has the world’s third-biggest diaspora. As a result, it seeks to aid as many Ukrainians as possible.

Ukrainians who desire to visit Canada temporarily will be eligible to get a Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel. There will be no restriction to the number of Ukrainians who apply. They will be eligible to extend their stay in Canada for at least two years, subject to a background check and security tests.

IRCC will also launch a unique accelerated family sponsorship program for permanent residency. It will develop specifics for this initiative in the following weeks.

All Ukrainians who come to Canada under these conditions will be entitled to apply for open work visas. This implies they will be allowed to work for any employer in Canada of their choice. This is in addition to the other open work permits that IRCC has previously made available to Ukrainians living in Canada.

More information on these temporary and permanent resident programs, including processing timelines, will be available in the “coming days and weeks,” according to IRCC.

Unvaccinated Ukrainians may enter Canada if they have a temporary resident visa, temporary resident permit, or written notice that their application for permanent residency in Canada has been accepted.

The Canadian government has said that IRCC prioritizes applications from persons living in Ukraine who wish to go to Canada for job, education, to reconnect with family, or to immigrate.

Canada is also prioritizing the processing of travel papers for Canadians and their family members who desire to return from Ukraine. The IRCC will provide single-journey travel papers to immediate family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who do not have valid passports.

Ukrainian nationals in Canada can seek to extend their status as a visitor, students, or workers. Canada will prioritize the renewal of work and study permits for Ukrainian citizens and will expand a program that allows persons to apply for a work permit from within Canada. Temporary residents who accept a job offer are permitted to remain in Canada and begin working while their work permit application is being processed.

IRCC is also developing a specialized service channel for Ukraine inquiries, which will be available to customers both in Canada and overseas. IRCC accepts collect calls at +1-613-321-4243. Using the IRCC web form, impacted clients can include the term “Ukraine2022” in their inquiry, and their email will be a priority.

The government’s current information on Ukraine-related initiatives may be obtained on their website. This Canadian government page will have the material in Ukrainian for convenience of reference.

 

Openwork permits

IRCC will provide open work permits to Ukrainian tourists, employees, and students who are currently in Canada and unable to return home. Fees for various travel and immigration papers, such as Canadian passports, permanent resident travel documents, proofs of citizenship, visiting visas, and work and study permits, will be waived retroactive to February 22, 2022. IRCC said further information will be released in the coming weeks.

 

Increasing IRCC operations

IRCC has also begun to increase operational readiness in the region by relocating staff, moving additional supplies and equipment, such as mobile biometric collection kits, in anticipation of an increased volume of requests, and adjusting operations in offices across its global network to ensure service continuity for Ukraine. For the majority of applications, there are online choices.

 

Pause in removal orders

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has an administrative deferral of removals (ADR) in effect for Ukraine to support Canada’s attitude to the situation in Ukraine. An ADR is a temporary remedy that can postpone a removal order that would typically cause a person to depart Canada immediately. Once the situation in their region has stabilized, the deportation of these people will continue. Those who are not authorized in Canada because of criminality, international or human rights abuses, organized crime, or security concerns may still be deported despite the ADR.

 

IRCC updates

You may sign up for IRCC’s email updates on Ukraine immigration policies by clicking here.

This website also contains the most recent information from IRCC.

Quebec’s regulations

Later that day, the Quebec government announced identical steps. Although the federal government has the last word on who enters the country, Quebec has its own immigration policy and has greater control over immigration than any other province.

The Quebec government will enable Ukrainian nationals who live in the province to sponsor their extended relatives. The province will also expedite the processing of applications for temporary foreign workers and international students from Ukraine.

The unrestricted work permit Canada announced for Ukrainian nationals will be valid in Quebec as well. These work visa holders will be allowed to utilize Quebec government services such as educational daycare, schools, and health care.

Quebec will also expedite the processing of Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) applications and Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications from employers of Ukrainian nationals who are already in the province.

Ukrainian nationals will be able to obtain assistance from 95 settlement and integration programs, which include housing, school enrollment for children, French classes, job placement, and other services.

Ukrainians can immigrate to Saskatchewan through the province’s immigration program.
Saskatchewan invited 36 Ukrainians to apply for provincial nominations on March 4. Although receiving a provincial nomination does not guarantee permanent residency, it does aid an immigration application.

14 of those invited have profiles in Canada’s Express Entry system. Others may be qualified for Saskatchewan’s Occupations in Demand immigration stream.

If approved, these persons will be able to utilize their nomination to apply for Canadian immigration under the Provincial Nominee Program.