An insurance policy is a guarantee of your safety and peaceful stay outside of Ukraine

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Canada, like many other countries in the world, helps Ukrainians fleeing the war. For citizens of Ukraine in Canada, there is a special program for emergency relocation, a system of financial support has been developed, employment opportunities and access to education and medicine have been provided. So, if you are considering Canada as a country for temporary asylum, what should you pay attention to?

Rules of entry

Before starting a trip to Canada, a Ukrainian must obtain an entry permit. The country has developed a special program called "Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET)", which allows:

    • live in the country for up to 3 years;

    • to work;

    • get access to medicine and education.

Within the framework of the program, 2 types of visas are issued: a free guest visa or an open work permit.

A work permit is issued upon receipt of an entry permit. To do this, when filling out the application, you must put "yes" next to the question "Do you want to apply for an open work permit?". It can also be collected upon arrival.

Citizens of Ukraine and their family members can apply: husband, wife, children. The term for considering an application at CUAET is 14 days on average. The application is submitted online only and is free of charge.

Importantly!

    • The application cannot be submitted in person at a Canadian embassy or visa application center.

    • In order to submit an application for a child under the age of 18, it is necessary to provide permission from the mother/father who is not traveling with the child or a document on full custody of the child.

There are cases when you may be asked to provide additional information - biometric data (fingerprints and photo) - before issuing an entry permit. Then you will receive an email with instructions. If your application was approved without a request for biometric data, you will also receive a corresponding letter containing information on further actions.

Ukrainians arriving in Canada under the CUAET program are exempt from the mandatory vaccination against COVID-19 for entry, however, in the absence of a certificate, it will be necessary to undergo testing or comply with quarantine measures.

Not only Ukrainians living outside of Canada, but also those who are currently in the country, can apply for the CUAET program.

As of September 14, 559,552 Ukrainians applied for entry permits under the CUAET program, and 251,922 people have already received visas.

We draw your attention to the fact that the CUAET program is intended for Ukrainians who will move to Canada temporarily, and then return to their homeland when it is safe to do so. CUAET is not a refugee, because in Canada, refugee status can be obtained only if a person in the Motherland experiences discrimination on political, religious, sexual or racial grounds and there is a threat to his life. The above reasons are carefully checked, and in some cases the status can be granted only after the recommendation of the UN. Therefore, many experts advise issuing CUAET immediately.

Thanks to the program, Ukrainians will be able to gain invaluable experience of studying and working abroad, which will definitely come in handy in the future. Also, recently, the Government of Canada announced that it is working on the development of a new program for temporary residents, which would allow in an accelerated process to obtain the status of permanent residents.

Free transportation

Ukrainians can get the right to a free flight to Canada. The program is supported by the Ukraine2Canda Travel Fund. The organization issues airline tickets on a first-come, first-served basis every two weeks. Charter flights depart from various European countries - Poland, Hungary, Germany, Slovakia, Austria, etc. To get on the flight, you need to apply in advance, see the link for more details.

Housing search

The first and one of the most important decisions you will have to make when moving to Canada is choosing a region to live in. Canada is a large country with many interesting cities and towns. When choosing a province to move to, we advise you to take into account the standard of living, the cost of renting housing, the average salary and weather conditions. Small towns should not be bypassed, because the cost of living in a small town is much lower than in a metropolis. To search for free temporary housing, visit the sites Ukrainetakeshelter and Icanhelp, here are collected ads from Canadians who are ready to help Ukrainians and provide temporary shelter.

In Canada, almost a third of families rent housing. Most of the ads are posted online. When choosing housing for permanent residence, pay attention to the residential area, the presence of shops, schools, and the level of development of public transport.

Financial assistance

The Canadian government is helping Ukrainians to adapt in a new country, so the leadership has introduced a one-time financial assistance of 3,000 Canadian dollars (about 83,000 UAH) per adult and 1,500 Canadian dollars (41,500 UAH) per child under 17 years of age. We talked about who can receive money and how to apply earlier. 

Where to look for work?

When you move to Canada, you will need to find a job to support yourself and your family. An open work permit allows you to work for almost any employer in Canada.

To search for a job, we recommend using the free online government job board Job Bank. Employers who want to offer jobs to Ukrainians are registered here. You can also create your own resume here, and maybe the job will find you by itself.

Tips on finding a job and creating a resume, as well as other useful information at the link.

Education

Children who came to Canada with their parents under the CUAET program are entitled to free education in the country's public schools.

Depending on the region of residence, children can enroll in English or French schools. There are also schools with in-depth study of languages, where both English and French are taught at the same time. Private schools are not financed by the state, so children get an education there at the expense of their parents.

Children go to primary school at the age of 4, to secondary school at the age of 14-15. They complete their studies at the age of 18.

The academic year in Canada starts in late August - early September and ends in June.

The rules for enrolling children in school differ depending on the province, so contact the educational institution directly for additional information. Many schools also have workers who deal with the adaptation of children who have arrived in Canada for the first time.

Medical services

In order to receive medical care in Canada, you need to issue a medical card in the province where you live.

As part of the program, you will be given access to primary medical care - visits to doctors and other medical professionals and inpatient treatment.

We also remind you that an insurance policy is a guarantee of your safety and peaceful stay outside of Ukraine. To protect yourself from troubles abroad and to be calm for yourself and your loved ones, Visit Ukraine recommends taking out medical insurance in advance.

If you still have questions about the basic rules for moving to Canada or you want to get more detailed information, visit the official website of the Government of Canada, where all relevant information is collected.