By David Baxter, The Canadian Press
People hold Canadian and Ukrainian flags as they greet Ukrainian nationals fleeing the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine as they arrive in Winnipeg on Monday, May 23, 2022. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/David Lipnowski)
The federal government is giving Ukrainians in Canada who fled Russia’s invasion another year to apply for new or renewed temporary visas.
The new deadline to apply for new or renewed work and study permits under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel program is March 31, 2026.
Under the terms of the program, applicants needed to get to Canada by March 31, 2024. Ottawa approved nearly one million applications but only about 300,000 successful applicants arrived.
Ottawa launched the program to help Ukrainians and their families flee the war and return home when it’s safe to do so.
Ihor Michalchyshyn, Ukrainian Canadian Congress CEO, said the extension will take some pressure off people whose permits are expiring later this year.
“We’re pleased that the government listened. It isn’t exactly what we asked for but it does give people more time to get their documents in order and apply to stay in Canada temporarily,” he said.
Michalchyshyn met last month with Immigration Minister Marc Miller and asked for an automatic, three-year renewal for visas under the program.
More than 100,000 work and study permits issued through the program are set to expire this year.
After that meeting, Miller’s office confirmed that the government was not considering automatic renewal.
Access to free settlement services through the program is set to expire on March 31, 2025.
In a media statement, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said it continues to evaluate how its programs can best support Ukrainians affected by Russia’s invasion.
— With files from Émilie Bergeron.
