On Thursday, February 24, 2022, we saw the beginning of a new horrible chapter in the history of Europe. On that day, Russia invaded Ukraine, shattered over 70 years of peace and forced millions of Ukrainian citizens to leave their home country and seek refuge elsewhere. The whole world united in support of Ukraine, and many countries, including Canada, offered shelter to those that had left the country. The Canadian government opened a special Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) program. Its goal is to help Ukrainians and their families come to Canada as quickly as possible. Let’s have a closer look at what it offers.
CUAET is a temporary residence program. It applies to Ukrainians that are both in Canada and in other countries and are looking for a safe haven to weather this difficult time. CUAET is fee-exempt, and it applies to both Ukrainian nationals and their family members.
For Ukrainians that are already in Canada, CUAET means that they can extend their current status (whether it’s a visitor visa, a work permit or a study permit) for up to three years (or until their passport expires). But what about refugees in other countries?
CUAET for Ukrainians outside Canada
In practice, CUAET is a visitor visa, but it’s valid for ten years (or until one’s passport expires), and it offers the opportunity to apply for an open work permit. If a given person is under 18 and they want to continue education in Canada, they can get a study permit.
The CUAET procedure is streamlined compared to other immigration programs. Applicants under CUAET:
- Can apply even if they don’t have a valid passport (in such a situation, an immigration officer determines eligibility)
- Don’t need to be vaccinated (they have to meet other public health requirements, though, e.g., quarantine)
- Get an extended period to give biometrics, and they don’t have to pay for that
- Don’t need an immigration medical exam (there may be the need to go through a chest x-ray and a blood test)
- Can simultaneously apply for a work/study permit
CI CENTRE IN WARSAW
Over 70,000 applications have been approved since the launch of CUAET, which explicitly shows how important this project is. You can read more and find out all the necessary details on this government website.
Getting a visa after application
There are a few things to remember, though. First off, the foil-less is valid for a single entry to Canada only. If you intend to leave the country for some time and go back, you have to apply for a new visa every time (or you can get a physical counterfoil one in your passport). Secondly, foil-less visas work only when a given Ukrainian national travels to Canada from Austria, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania or Slovakia. And lastly, this option is available exclusively to Ukrainian citizens. If your family members are not Ukrainian nationals, they need to get standard physical counterfoils.
That’s important: The foil-less visa is valid for just six months, so you need to plan your travel to Canada rather quickly.
Read more about getting visitor visas and the differences between counterfoil and foil-less visas here.
So far, we have discussed what the federal government is doing for Ukrainian nationals. But the help also works on the provincial level, and all Canadian provinces are eager to help and provide newcomers from Ukraine with all the information and help they may need. That’s why many of them created special sections on their official websites.
Provincial websites and programs:
BRITISH COLUMBIA
- Healthcare and vaccines
- Employment
- Education
- Places to live and getting settled
There are also special phone lines for those needing additional help and assistance.
ALBERTA
- Settlement services
- Language services
- Healthcare
- Child care
- Finding work and assessing qualifications
- Banking and income support
SASKATCHEWAN
MANITOBA
- Immigration information
- Information for new arrivals
- Additional
ONTARIO
QUEBEC
Of course, other Canadian provinces are also eager to help Ukrainians. If you are interested in living in one of them, take a look at their websites:
We’re proud and happy to say that we’ve already helped the first Ukrainians come safely to this beautiful country and start a new life here.
Although CUAET is a temporary residence program, it can be your first step to staying in Canada permanently. If you’d like to find out more, just get in touch with us!
