Canada extends CUAET measures for Ukrainians

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has extended the deadline for Ukrainians to receive facilitated processing of their temporary residence applications.

Ukrainian nationals who are currently in Canada under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) measures and arrived in the country on or before March 31, 2024, can continue to apply for an extension of their existing open work permit (OWP), apply for a new OWP valid for up to three years, or a new study permit until March 31, 2026, through the CUAET.

Applicants to CUAET who have not yet received a decision on their applications are not eligible for facilitated processing. IRCC advises that they are still processing some applications from as far back as 2023 due to their complexity.

The CUAET measures were first announced in March of 2022 to allow Ukrainians to come to Canada in response Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Ukrainian nationals who arrived in Canada after 31 March, 2024 must follow the standard application processes and pay regular fees to apply for work permits, study permits, or visitor status.

Applicants who have had their CUAET application rejected may still be eligible for temporary residence under Canada’s other work, study, or visitor pathways.

Discover if You Are Eligible for Canadian Immigration

An earlier version of this article noted that Ukrainian nationals who arrived in Canada under the CUAET measures with visitor status were eligible to apply for a permit extension until March 31, 2026. This is incorrect, and only applies to applicable work permit or study permit applications.

CUAET temporary measures can facilitate gaining Canadian permanent residence

The temporary measures in place for those in Canada under the CUAET may provide eligible Ukranian nationals the opportunity to gain permanent resident status.

Many Canadian immigration pathways have eligibility criteria that require work experience or reward extra levels of education, which can be gained on a work or study permit.

Due to their ability to get facilitated work and study permits, Ukrainian nationals eligible under CUAET can thus build eligibility for Canadian permanent residence pathways.

For example, Canada’s federal Express Entry system requires candidates to have eligible work experience to qualify for one of three immigration programs:

The Canadian Experience Class (CEC);
The Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP); and
The Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP).

The Express Entry system requires foreign nationals to submit a candidate profile that details factors such as their age, level of education, language proficiency, and Canadian work experience. Candidates will be scored on these factors, given an overall Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) score, and ranked against other candidates in the Express Entry pool.

The higher their CRS score, the more likely a candidate is to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for permanent residence in an Express Entry draw.

In addition, Ukrainian nationals who benefit from CUAET measures can also consider Canada’s Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) as a pathway to PR. These programs reward candidates for their connections to a Canadian province or territory, as well as factors such as their education, work experience, and language proficiency.