Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that the deadline for Canada Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) participants with a temporary resident permit in Canada to apply for an open work permit is now March 31, 2025.
Previously, the same program was extended until July 31, 2024. IRCC also revealed that, unlike before, there is now a fee for these work permit applications. The permit can last up to three years, depending on the applicant’s passport and biometric details, VisaGuide.World reports.
To benefit from this extension, applicants must meet CUAET requirements and prove they had arrived in Canada on or before March 31, 2024.
According to CIC News, the CUAET program stopped accepting new applicants on July 15, 2023, and those approved had until the end of March 2024 to come to Canada to take full advantage of the program’s support, including the fee waiver.
CUAET’s available support includes job search support, mastering the official language and preparing to become a citizen. At the same time, there are services, especially for different categories of people, including women and older people.
Criteria for Obtaining Permanent Residency in Canada
In addition, Canada allows Ukrainians with family members currently living in Canada to obtain Canadian permanent residency. In this regard, students aiming to study in Canada should be aware that applications are only accepted until October 22, 2024.
Under this category, two classes require a relationship between the applicant and a Canadian citizen/PER. Thus, eligible family members include:
- Spouse or common-law partner
- Child (regardless of age).
- Nephew
- The parent
- Grandfather
- Siblings (including half-siblings)
Starting in February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, the Canada-Ukraine Emergency Travel Authorization was created as a temporary measure to help Ukrainians.
Following this initiative, Ukrainians and their close relatives have an opportunity to stay in Canada under temporary visas for a period of up to three years. After arriving in Canada, they were allowed to apply for a work or study visa without paying any fees.
This benefit also applies to Ukrainians already residing in Canada who wish to stay longer for work or study visa purposes.
Data provided by IRCC showed that from March 17, 2022, until April 1, 2024, the department received 1,189,320 applications, while the body approved 962,612. However, only 300,000 Ukrainians arrived in Canada in this period.