Question Period Note: Ukraine

Russia has escalated its political and military posture by initiating a military incursion into Ukraine beyond the two disputed territories. Domestic and international movements of the Ukrainian population is anticipated, including to Canada given our country’s strong Ukrainian-Canada community.

PROPOSED RESPONSE:
• Canada continues to stand with the people of Ukraine, and is committed to helping Ukrainians find a temporary safe haven while they flee war.
• Streamlining current visa and travel requirements, the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel is the fastest, safest, and most efficient way for Ukrainians to come to Canada.
• Ukrainians arriving in Canada can now apply to receive transitional financial assistance. These funds will help Ukrainian nationals and their family members meet their basic needs—such as transportation and longer-term housing—as they arrive in communities across Canada and find a job.
• This support is another example of how Canada is helping Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s illegal invasion find a welcoming safe haven in our country. In addition to this transitional financial assistance, the Government of Canada provided three charter flights from Poland.
If pressed:
• Canada is also offering settlement services such as language training, orientation, employment-related services and other supports for all Ukrainians as well as exempting certain lower-risk Ukrainian nationals applying under the CUAET from the biometrics collection requirement.
• We are urgently processing travel documents, including single-journey travel documents. Priority processing has also been implemented across all of our business lines for affected individuals.
• Due to the extremely high number of applications for a temporary resident visa, IRCC is adjusting its operations to increase biometric enrolment capacity in Europe.
• As this situation evolves, we are monitoring developments, tracking application processing closely, and will take action where needed to support Ukrainians and their families both in Ukraine and Canada.
If pressed on Budget:
• The Budget 2022 provides additional funding to bolster Canada’s response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine and details some measures already in place, including the funding of $111 million over 5 years, with $6 million in future years, to implement new immigration measures for Ukrainians.
• This funding will help to set up the new immigration pathways, expedite the processing of applications, and provide support to Ukrainians once they arrive in Canada.
If pressed on Ukraine’s request for visa liberalization:
• Canada and Ukraine enjoy a close friendship built on shared values and strong people-to-people connections.
• Similar to Canada’s like-minded partners, Canada considers a range of factors before lifting a country’s visa requirement.
• Our relationship with Ukraine is a key factor, but so is the safety and security of Canadians, and the importance of maintaining a well-managed migration system.
• We have a number of special immigration solutions that we believe will help Ukrainians.
• Canada's visa approach is in line with that of the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand.
• Ukraine's visa requirement is not currently under review, but the situation is being monitored very closely to support the people of Ukraine.

BACKGROUND:
• Canada and Ukraine have enjoyed close bilateral relations since Canada became the first Western nation to recognize Ukraine’s independence on December 2, 1991. Warm people-to-people ties are strengthened by an over 1.3 million strong Ukrainian-Canadian community in Canada.
• On February 24, 2022, Russia escalated its political and military posture by initiating a full-scale military incursion into Ukraine’s sovereign territory beyond the two disputed territories. Since this escalation, there have been domestic and international movements of the Ukrainian population, including to Canada given our country’s strong Ukrainian-Canada community.
• As of April 12, 2022, there are currently more than 4.67 million Ukrainian nationals who had fled war to neighbouring countries in Europe, including to Poland, Moldova, Germany, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia. As of April 5, 2022, there are also more than 7.1 million internally displaced persons within Ukraine.
• The IRCC office in Kyiv has been temporarily closed since February 9. IRCC continues to leverage its global integrated network to support continued service delivery and has redirected passport and consular services for persons in Ukraine to other IRCC offices in the region.
• As of February 24, the Visa Application Centres (VACs) in Kyiv and Lviv have been temporarily closed. Applicants can access VACs in neighbouring European countries.
• Given the escalation of events, as of February 24, IRCC implemented a series of measures to continue supporting those residing in Ukraine as well as in-Canada Ukrainian nationals wishing to remain in Canada.
• Dedicated service channels (web, e-mail, phone) were also activated to provide clients with the most up to date information.
• The Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel is the fastest, safest, and most efficient way for Ukrainians to come to Canada and eliminates many of the normal visa requirements. All Ukrainian nationals will be able to apply through this new path, and, pending background check and security screening, their stay in Canada could be extended by up to 3 years. This permit will allow them to work in Canada. There is no limit to the number of Ukrainians who can apply.
• Ukrainian workers, students and visitors and their family members who are already in Canada also benefit from these measures. They may either apply to extend their visitor status or work permit for 3 years, apply for a new work or study permit, or extend their existing permit. IRCC will waive all extension and work or study permit application fees.
• IRCC will also implement a special family reunification sponsorship pathway for permanent residence. The parameters of the program are in development now.
• A class-based national interest exemption has been issued to allow unvaccinated and partially vaccinated Ukrainian nationals who hold a temporary resident visa or permit to enter Canada. However, they must still need to meet all other public health requirements for travel, such as quarantine and testing. With limited exceptions, all travellers to Canada must also use ArriveCan.
• In addition to these new measures, IRCC previously announced that we will waive fees, retroactive to February 22, 2022, for certain travel and immigration documents. These include Canadian passports, permanent resident travel documents, proofs of citizenship, visitor visas, as well as work and study permits. Individuals who already paid these fees on or after February 22, 2022 may be eligible for a refund.
• Settlement Program services, which are typically only available to permanent residents, will soon be extended until March 31, 2023, for temporary residents in Canada eligible under the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET). This is an extraordinary temporary measure aimed at supporting Ukrainians arriving under this special, accelerated temporary residence pathway. Key services that will be available to Ukrainians as they settle into their new communities include
o language training
o information about and orientation to life in Canada, such as help with enrolling children in school
o information and services to help access the labour market, including mentoring, networking, counselling, skills development and training
o activities that promote connections with communities
o assessments of other needs Ukrainians may have and referrals to appropriate agencies
o services targeted to the needs of women, seniors, youth and LGBTQ2+ persons
o other settlement supports available through the Settlement Program
• IRCC is also exempting lower-risk Ukrainian nationals applying under CUAET from providing biometrics, at the discretion of a designated officer. Biometrics are currently a requirement before arrival in Canada for the majority of Ukrainian nationals.
• The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship also announced a new Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund, which will be launched in partnership with Miles4Migrants, The Shapiro Foundation and Air Canada and will build on our support for Ukrainians wishing to travel to Canada.
• As of April 20, Canadians and Canadian companies can donate Aeroplan points to the Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund through Air Canada or Miles4Migrants. For those who want to donate cash, the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto will be collecting donations on behalf of the Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund. These partners are inviting Canadians to donate, with the goal of bringing at least 10,000 Ukrainians and their families on flights to Canada. In addition to a significant donation of 100 million Aeroplan points by Air Canada, The Shapiro Foundation will match donations by Canadians, with a donation equivalent of up to 50 million Aeroplan points.
 
Visa exemption request and related issues:
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• Canada and Ukraine have a dedicated channel through which to discuss the visa requirement, and other migration matters of mutual interest, via the Canada-Ukraine Mobility Working Group (CUMWG). The first meeting of the CUMWG was held on April 21, 2021. The CUMWG provides a platform to facilitate the sharing of best practices on migration management, aim to improve temporary mobility opportunities for Canadian and Ukrainian youth, and further strengthen co-operation on migration-related matters.
• We are investing an additional $117 million to implement Canada’s new immigration measures to help set up new immigration pathways, expedite the processing of applications, and provide support to newcomers once they arrive in Canada.
• All individuals with a valid work permit, study permit, temporary resident permit or visitor record in Canada under CUAET will be eligible to receive one-time financial support under the Canada-Ukraine Transitional Assistance Initiative (CUTAI) of $3,000 per adult (18 years and older) and $1,500 per child (17 years and under).

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