Canada launches family reunification and support program for Ukrainians
The Minister of Immigration has announced the possibility of temporary residence permits for Ukrainians who have relatives in Canada.
Canada continues to help Ukrainians in difficult situation. Last month, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser promised to launch a program that would allow Ukrainians to unite with family reunification in Canada. And over the weekend, the creation of such a program was officially announced.
Starting on October 23, 2023, the new program will allow those who have had to flee the war and move from Ukraine to Canada to receive permanent residence permits. To be eligible, a Ukrainian citizen must be in Canada, have temporary resident status, and have one or more family members who are Canadian citizens or eligible for permanent residence. Such family members include spouses, common-law spouses, parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, children, and grandchildren. More details will be available closer to the program's launch date.
Those, who are not eligible for this program still will be able to apply for temporary resident visas to come to Canada under pre-existing immigration measures.
Once in Canada, temporary residents from Ukraine can apply to extend their stay in the country for up to 3 years and obtain a study permit and an open work permit. Immigrants from Ukraine also have access to settlement services such as language courses and employment assistance. The federal government of Canada continues to work closely with provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, settlement assistance providers, and the Ukrainian-Canadian community to ensure that Ukrainians arriving in the country can settle in as best as possible.
