Work permit application deadline extended for CUAET participants
The Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has recently again rearranged the rules of the CUAET program concerning the work permit application for individuals involved in the program.
The new expiry date for CUAET participants with a temporary resident permit in Canada to get an open work permit is March 31, 2025. It is important to note that while previous measures under the CUAET entailed work permit applications that would not attract any fee charges, the same cannot be said here. The open work permit is issued for up to three years based on the applicant’s passport and biometric information.
This extension applies if the applicants meet the CUAET measures requirements and enter Canada before March 31, 2024. Mixed reactions have however followed the launch of the new program since the CUAET officially stopped accepting new applicants beginning July 15, 2023. Those approved had till the end of March this year to arrive in Canada to fully benefit from the program’s support measures including fee removal.
Find out if you are eligible to get in Canada →
Settlement Services for Ukrainians
The services highlighted below can be availed of by the CUAET participants until March 31, 2025, for free.
Available support includes services such as support in job search, mastering the official language, and preparing to become a citizen. Also, there are services, particularly for various categories of people, including women, and seniors.
Pathways to Permanent Residence for Ukrainians with Family in Canada
Eligibility for Permanent Residency
People who have family members living in Canada are eligible for a special scheme for obtaining Canadian permanent residency. Future students should note that application to this pathway is only open until October 22, 2024.
Eligibility Categories
There are two classes under this category, both of which demand a relationship between the applicant and a citizen/PER of Canada. Eligible family members include:
- Spouse or common-law partner
- Child (regardless of age).
- Grandchild
- Parent
- Grandparent
- Sibling (including half-siblings)
Category 1:
Of these, the first category is for Ukrainian nationals. To apply, the Ukrainian applicant must complete a statutory declaration form in which their family member in Canada must sign and attest their relationship.
Category 2:
This applies to the spouse or the partner living common law with a Ukrainian citizen. In this case, the applicant has to demonstrate their spouse or partner has family members in the country who are either citizens or permanent residents. Further, they have to prove that their spouse or partner cannot leave Ukraine, is missing, deceased, or is presumed to be deceased.
Temporary Residence Permit for Ukrainians in Canada (CUAET)
Starting in February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel was established as a temporary measure to help Ukrainians.
This initiative provided an opportunity for Ukrainians and their close relatives to stay in Canada under temporary visas for a period of up to three years. When they arrived, they were allowed to apply for a work or study visa without having to pay any fee. This benefit also applied to Ukrainians already residing in Canada who wished to stay longer for work or study visa purposes.
According to the records obtained from Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the program was initiated on the 17th of March 2022, and the deadline is the 1st of April 2024. Out of the total applications received, which were 1,189,320, the body has approved 962,612. However, only 300,000 Ukrainians ‘‘arrived’’ in Canada in this period: thus, although the legislation qualified as progressive, it made little subjectivist sense to Ukrainians in the form it took.
Thus, the prolongation of the work permit application deadline for the participants of CUAET has become a great help and an additional chance for Ukrainian people to find reliable protection and work in Canada. Concerning this move, is a sign of support from Canada to those who continue feeling the heat of the conflict going on in Ukraine. Nonetheless, as the situation remains an open topic, applicants should stay abreast of the developments and take the benefit of such an extended period to legalize their presence in the country and start a new life in Canada with work permits obtained.
