Canada providing charter flights to facilitate the arrival of Ukrainian refugees

Over the next few weeks, Ukrainians who have been approved under the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) and their family members will have access to chartered flights to Canada.

Those who have obtained their visa to come to Canada under the CUAET will receive an email from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) with details on how to register for the flights, IRCC said in a press release issued May 11.

The following flights out of Poland will be available to approved CUAET holders on a first-come, first-served basis:

May 23 to Winnipeg, Manitoba;
May 29 to Montreal, Quebec;
June 2 to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Upon arrival in Canada, those who do not yet have accommodation will also be provided with temporary housing for up to two weeks.

This is the latest in a series of measures to assist Ukrainians that the Canadian government has put in place in recent months.

Ukrainians wishing to travel to Canada also have access to commercial flights, subsidized by a special fund. The Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund, established in partnership with Miles4Migrants, Air Canada, and the Shapiro Foundation, will provide approximately 10,000 free flights to people fleeing war in the country.

The CUAET, which was introduced last March, gives Ukrainians and their immediate family members, regardless of nationality, the opportunity to stay in Canada as temporary residents for up to three years.

They may also be granted an open work or study permit, which allows them to secure employment with almost any Canadian employer or to enroll in a Canadian educational program.

The Government of Canada is also providing temporary settlement assistance until March 31, 2023, to help Ukrainians arriving through CUAET settle in their new communities. This support includes language training, information, and services to help them access the labour market, including mentoring, networking, counseling, skills development, and training.

Canadian provinces have also announced numerous initiatives with their local Ukrainian-Canadian organizations, the settlement sector, community groups, and other non-governmental organizations to assist newly arrived Ukrainians. These initiatives include orientation services, temporary accommodation and meals, financial assistance, and access to health services.

According to the latest available data as of May 4, 2022, over 204,000 temporary resident visa applications have been submitted and nearly 91,500 applications have been approved.

Those requiring more information, can sign up to IRCC’s email updates on Ukraine immigration measures by clicking here or visit this IRCC page for the latest information.