Question Period Note: Ukraine – CUAET Measures and Permanent Resident family based pathway

On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion into Ukraine. In response, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) implemented and extended various temporary measures, including the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) and the introduction of a family-based permanent resident pathway.

• Canada remains committed to supporting Ukrainians and their family members by providing a temporary safe haven as the war in Ukraine continues, while recognizing that many will eventually return home when it is safe to do so.

• Since the launch of the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program, Canada has welcomed over 300,000 Ukrainians and their family members who sought safety in Canada.

• While most of the CUAET measures have ended, we recently announced an extension of some temporary in-Canada measures to enable Ukrainians and their family members, who arrived in Canada under CUAET and related measures, to continue to work and study here while the conflict in Ukraine continues.

• The Government of Canada continues to monitor the situation in the region.

On Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET)
• Following Russia’s illegal invasion in February 2022, IRCC implemented a series of measures to continue supporting individuals fleeing the war in Ukraine as well as Ukrainian nationals in Canada wishing to extend their stay. The Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) was launched on March 17, 2022 with overseas intake closing on July 15, 2023.
• The CUAET program was designed to be a temporary pathway that would allow Ukrainians to seek temporary safety in Canada, while recognizing that many will eventually return home to contribute to Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction.
• CUAET offered Ukrainians and their family members an accelerated temporary residence pathway in Canada, allowing them to work, study or stay in Canada for up to three years. There was no limit to the number of individuals who could apply.
• All CUAET visa holders had until March 31, 2024 to arrive in Canada to receive the associated benefits of temporary accommodations and transitional financial assistance.
• Ukrainian workers, students and visitors and their family members who were granted temporary resident status in Canada under the CUAET measures were eligible to apply until March 31, 2024 to extend their stay, without paying the application fee. These fee-exempt measures have ended.
• Temporary in-Canada measures remain in place until March 31, 2027, allowing Ukrainians and their family members who arrived in Canada on or before March 31, 2024 under the CUAET measures to apply for a new open work permit valid for up to three years, renew an existing open work permit or apply for a new study permit from within Canada, subject to standard fees.
• Approved CUAET visa holders who are still overseas may travel to Canada at any point during the validity of their visa, but are treated as regular visitors upon arrival at a port of entry.
• Since March 2022 and as of November 31, 2025, over 815,000 overseas CUAET temporary resident applications were approved and over 308,000 Ukrainians arrived in Canada under CUAET.

• NEW CUAET Public Policy: As announced on March 31, 2026 IRCC has issued a new public policy to facilitate access to work permits for foreign nationals in Canada who arrived under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) and related measures on or before December 31, 2024.
• The new policy enables eligible work permit holders to extend their permits for up to three years. The policy came into effect on April 1, 2026, and is valid for one year, until March 31, 2027.

Family Reunification PR Pathway:
• On October 23, 2023, IRCC implemented a family reunification pathway to permanent residence for certain Ukrainian nationals with family in Canada and their eligible family members. Intake closed on October 22, 2024. Processing of applications is ongoing.
• Between October 2023 and November 30, 2025:
o Over 25,000 applications (in persons) have been received;
More than 3,200 applications (in persons) have been approved; and, over 3,000 have been granted permanent residence.

• NEW TR measure: To ensure that permanent resident applicants can maintain their status in Canada, a new public policy was launched on January 16, 2026, that facilitates extension or restoration of their temporary resident status. Eligible individuals can apply for a new study permit or open work permit, or an extension of their work permit, while their permanent residence application is being processed. Applicants who have already lost their temporary resident status in Canada will have until March 31, 2026 to apply and receive an additional waiver of the 90-day restoration period, if needed.

In-Canada Supports

Canada-Ukraine Transitional Assistance Initiative (CUTAI)
• CUAET visa holders who arrived in Canada by March 31, 2024 were eligible to apply for transitional financial assistance until June 30, 2024.
• The online application for the transitional financial assistance was launched on June 2, 2022. The benefit consisted of a direct one-time payment of $3,000 per adult and $1,500 per child (17 years and under).
• IRCC made amendments to the Resettlement Assistance Program authorities to be able to deliver the transitional financial assistance, in partnership with Service Canada for service delivery.
• Payments under CUTAI have been completed and as of September 1, 2024, 296,779 CUAET holders have been approved for payment, for a total payout of $794.8M.

Settlement Services
• All Ukrainian temporary residents and their family members in Canada had access to free settlement services until March 31, 2025.
• Settlement services are provided in provinces and territories outside of Quebec by a national network of approximately 550 federally-funded settlement service provider organizations.
• As of April 1, 2025, 162,580 unique Ukrainian and CUAET clients (122,340 CUAET and 40,240 non-CUAET) accessed settlement services provided by service provider organizations funded by IRCC.
• Regular settlement services offered by Quebec’s Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) are available to all CUAET holders with a work permit.

If pressed on the family reunification pathway:
• New intake for the family reunification pathway to permanent residence for certain Ukrainian nationals with family in Canada and their eligible family members closed on October 22, 2024. Applicants will have received an acknowledgment of receipt of their application and processing of applications is ongoing.

• As of January 16, 2026, Ukrainians who applied under the Family Reunification Pathway and their family members can apply to extend or restore their temporary status in Canada while waiting for a decision on their permanent residence application.

If pressed on validity of passports and travel documents:
• Generally, all foreign nationals applying for permanent or temporary residence in Canada are required to provide a valid passport or travel document as per the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

• However, if applicants cannot meet these requirements due to compelling and exceptional circumstances, IRCC officers may consider their situations on a case-by-case basis.

If pressed on long wait times for immigration pathways:
• Applications for permanent residence undergo multiple assessment steps before a final decision is made, and processing times vary depending on the specific circumstances of each individual application and available spaces under the Immigration Levels Plan.