Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller takes part in a news conference in Ottawa, on Jan. 15.Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press
The federal government says Ukrainians who arrived in Canada under a special program set up after Russia invaded their country will have more time to apply for a new open work permit.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced Thursday that Ukrainians residing in this country under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) as of March 31, 2024, will now have an extra year to apply for the new open work permit. The change extends the deadline to apply to March 31, 2026, from March 31, 2025, and the visa will be valid for up to three years.
Ukrainians who arrived under CUAET will also be able to renew an existing work permit by that deadline or apply for a study permit, subject to standard fees.
“These temporary measures will allow Ukrainians and their family members to continue to work and study in Canada during this difficult time and eventually return home when it is safe to do so,” Mr. Miller said in a statement.
The new measures come after a call from the Ukrainian Canadian Congress (UCC) earlier this week to enact an automatic three-year extension of the visas, associated work permits and benefits for all Ukrainians who arrived in Canada under CUAET, enacted after the war began in 2022. The program has facilitated the settlement of nearly 300,000 Ukrainians.
Ihor Michalchyshyn, executive director of the UCC, which represents national, provincial and local Ukrainian-Canadian organizations, said he was pleased to see that the minister listened to their concerns. While the process of renewal is not automatic, applicants will have more time to apply, he noted.
“There will continue to be some nervousness about the process, but we’re pleased to see there has been some consideration of the timing,” he said in an interview.
Mr. Michalchyshyn said the Ukrainian-Canadian community’s push, and the prospect of a spring election, may have spurred government movement on the program: “This is the kind of communication that comes after pressure has built.”
Access to free settlement services for all Ukrainian temporary residents and their family members in Canada are available until March 31.
Tom Kmiec, the federal Conservative immigration critic, said the party supports Ukrainians displaced by the war with Russia who wish to apply to extend their stay in Canada. But he said the Liberals left things to the last minute to provide an update on facilitating renewals of CUAET visas.
“The Liberals have neglected to proactively update CUAET visa holders on the coming expirations and to give assurances their processing will be handled promptly,” he said in a statement.