Immigration,Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has recently extended the deadline to apply for a work permit by those participating in the Canada Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program.
The deadline to apply for an open work permit is now March 31, 2025, for CUAET participants who are currently in Canada as temporary residents. However, unlike previous CUAET measures, these work permit applications will not be fee exempt.
The open work permit is valid for up to three years depending on the applicant’s passport expiry and biometrics.
To be eligible, participants must have been approved under the CUAET measures and arrived in Canada on or before March 31, 2024.
CUAET officially stopped accepting new applications on July 15, 2023. Those who were approved had until March 31 this year to arrive in Canada to fully benefit from the supports offered by the program, including fee exemptions.
Settlement services for Ukrainians
CUAET participants currently in Canada can also still benefit from many free settlement services until March 31, 2025.
These include services to help newcomers find employment, learn an official language, prepare for citizenship and others directed at specific groups such as women, 2SLGBTQI, or seniors.
Permanent residence pathways for Ukrainians with family in Canada
Some Ukrainians may also be eligible for a dedicated pathway to Canadian permanent resident status.
IRCC is accepting applications through this pathway until October 22, 2024.
There are two categories for eligible candidates however, in both categories the applicant must be able to demonstrate a relationship with a family member in Canada who is already a citizen or permanent resident. This includes a:
- spouse or common-law partner
- child (regardless of age)
- grandchild
- parent
- grandparent, or
- sibling (or half-sibling)
In the first category, the applicant must be a Ukrainian national. They must also have a statutory declaration form signed by their family member in Canada explaining the relationship to them.
The second category is for the spouse or common-law partner of a Ukrainian national. They must be able to prove that their spouse or partner has immediate family in Canada and that their spouse or partner is unable to leave Ukraine, be missing, have passed away, or be presumed to have passed away.
CUAET
CUAET was launched in February 2022 as a temporary measure for Ukrainians fleeing unrest in the region following the Russian invasion.
Under the measure, Ukrainians and their immediate family members were permitted to stay in Canada as temporary residents for up to three years. After arrival, they could apply for a work permit or study permit without paying fees. This also applied to any Ukrainians already in Canada requiring an extension on their work or study permits
According to IRCC data, between March 17, 2022, and April 1, 2024, the department received 1,189,320 applications for the program and approved 962,612. However, the same data shows that less than 300,000 Ukrainians arrived in Canada in that period.
