Question Period Note: Service Canada Support to Ukrainian newcomers

Support to Ukrainian arriving in Canada

Service Canada’s plan to support Ukrainian newcomers includes outreach to organizations that support newcomers, outreach to clients through virtual information sessions, the issuance of SINS and information gathering at airports.

Information provided to newcomers about the Government of Canada programs and services includes SIN, Benefits Finder, Foreign Credential Recognition program, Job Bank’s Jobs for Ukraine and Service Canada Centre appointments.

Service Canada officials are working with hundreds of partners across the country to provide supports to help Ukrainian newcomers settle in Canada, including initiatives to help individuals find work.

In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Government of Canada has announced that Canada is welcoming an unlimited number of Ukrainians. IRCC introduced new immigration streams for Ukrainians who want to come to Canada temporarily or permanently. Ukrainians coming to Canada temporarily are travelling under a Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel, a temporary resident authorization, and are not considered as refugees. These new arrivals are in addition to the thousands of other temporary and permanent residents Canada welcomes via other immigration channels.

Since June 2nd 2022, Ukrainians arriving in Canada can 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. The benefit will consist of a direct, one-time payment of $3,000 per adult and $1,500 per child (17 years and under). As of September 4, 2022, 38,712 applications were approved for payments, which represents $140,313,000 of anticipated payout.

Service Canada is working with other Federal partners to support an integrated response to assist clients impacted by the crisis in the Ukraine and to deliver this financial assistance as quickly as possible to ensure that families have the necessary support they need. An outreach strategy has been developed which outlines Service Canada’s role in this response.

Additional assistance arise as Ukrainians continue to arrive in Canada. Associations and service provider organizations across the country are looking into options to help Ukrainians settle and expedite their career and work integration.

For example, the Association of Science and Engineering Technology Professionals of Alberta (ASET) announced they are waiving fees for Ukrainians seeking to attain their designations in order to expedite the process.

Sessions are being offered to provide information on the financial assistance available since June 2, 2022 for Ukrainians in Canada, and on Service Canada programs and services, including Social Insurance Number. Service Canada is actively working with IRCC and delivered a webinar to over 500 settlement organizations at the provincial, territorial and municipal levels in June 2022.

SIN clinics are being delivered in collaboration with service delivery providers, either virtually or in-person, at locations convenient for the newcomers, upon arrival when possible. As of September 4, 2022, 185 SIN clinics were conducted where 5316 Ukrainian clients were met.

To support their seamless integration into Canadian society, Ukrainian newcomers are being provided with the Outreach Support Centre contact information so they can access additional information and individual support when needed. Telephone interpretation service is available, in Ukrainian and Russian. To support employment for newcomers to Canada, the Jobs for Ukraine webpage was launched on March 17, 2022. To date, Over 516,000 people have already used the webpage.