Starting from October 23rd Canada has introduced a program with the aim of making it easier for Ukrainian temporary residents to reunite with their families and relatives. The applications under this program should be filed BEFORE Oct. 22, 2024.  

This innovative initiative allows Ukrainian temporary residents who are currently living in Canada to apply for resident status as long as they meet the eligibility requirements. 

To be eligible applicants must have a connection, to one family member who is either a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident residing in Canada. This includes spouses, common law partners, parents, grandparents, siblings, children or grandchildren. 

The program consists of TWO eligibility categories that share some criteria. To apply for immigration the Government of Canada has set the following requirements: 

• You need to be physically present in Canada when you submit your application or unable to be in Canada for various valid reasons such as military service or otherwise;  

• You must have a temporary resident status in Canada, or; 
• Have applied for the restoration of your status within 90 days after it expired; 
• If your temporary resident status has been expired for more than 90 days you must either have a temporary resident status or have applied to restore it; 
• When applying you must provide a passport or travel document. If you don’t have one you need to provide other supporting identity documents;  
• Lastly you must meet the admissibility criteria set by Canada. 

For both categories if you are a Ukrainian national (or your spouse or common law partner) it is necessary to prove that there is a family connection with a citizen or permanent resident of Canada. This includes relationships such as: 

• Spouse or common law partner 
• Child (regardless of age) 
• Grandchild 
• Parent 
• Grandparent 
• Sibling (brothers or sisters, including half-siblings) 

There are TWO categories of applicants who can apply.  

Category 1; 

 Individuals in this category must hold Ukrainian nationality. Additionally they need to submit a signed statutory declaration form (IMM 0191) completed by their family member to confirm their relationship. 

 Category 2: 

 This category caters to individuals who are either spouses or common-law partners of a Ukrainian national with family ties in Canada. The Ukrainian spouse or partner must be facing circumstances such as an inability to leave Ukraine, be missing, be deceased, or be presumed deceased. 

 Applicants under this category must not have entered into another marriage or common-law relationship subsequent to their departure from Ukraine. They must also provide a signed statutory declaration form (IMM 0191), completed by a family member of their spouse or partner residing in Canada, elucidating their familial ties. 

Families interested in leveraging this opportunity are encouraged to submit their applications before the deadline of October 22, 2024. Additionally, it is important to note that, in contrast to other family-class sponsorship initiatives, Canadian citizens or permanent resident family members under this pathway will not be obligated to commit to a financial undertaking. 

If you are a Ukrainian citizen and have a valid CUAET visa, you can travel to Canada before March 31, 2024, in order to utilize temporary special measures. If, however, you haven’t had a chance to apply for the CUAET visa before July 15, 2023, you and your family members can still apply for a regular temporary resident visa to come to Canada. Please note that applications submitted after July 15, 2023, will be subject to fees and general requirements. If you did apply before July 15, 2023, your application will be processed under the CUAET rules. 

When you are in Canada, you will be eligible to apply for a three year study and open work permits on a priority basis. Application processing fees for an open work permit or a study permit will be waived for CUAET visa holders inside Canada if they submit their status extension applications before March 31, 2024. Additionally, you will also have access to various settlement services offered by the Government of Canada, such as language training and employment services. 

For more detailed information about CUAET and eligibility requirements for the Sponsorship for Ukrainians program, please feel free to contact our office or complete our online assessment questionnaire: On-line Assessment Questionnaire.