Post July 15, 2023 regular temporary resident processing for Ukrainian nationals and their family members
This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.
These program delivery instructions (PDIs) provide operational guidance related to special measures to support Ukrainian nationals and their foreign national family members seeking temporary residence in Canada following the conclusion of CUAET intake on July 15, 2023.
These measures take effect on July 16, 2023 and remain valid until March 31, 2024.
On this page
- Background
- Post July 15, 2023 temporary resident visa processing
- In-Canada facilitation
- Refusing for non-compliance
- Assessing applications for children and minors
- Non-Ukrainian family members
- Non-Ukrainian parents of Ukrainian children
Background
On March 22, 2023, the Minister extended overseas intake under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) until July 15, 2023. Although new overseas intake closed on this date, the entire CUAET inventory will be processed to completion, and CUAET clients will have until March 31, 2024, to travel to Canada to receive CUAET-related facilitation and in-Canada supports. For more information, refer to: Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) measures.
Clients with CUAET visas who do not arrive by March 31, 2024, can still travel to Canada, but will do so as regular temporary resident visa (TRV) holders.
On July 15, 2023, the Minister announced that as of July 16, 2023, clients will no longer be able to apply for a CUAET visa overseas. Moving forward, all Ukrainian nationals and their foreign national family members can apply for a regular TRV to travel to Canada, per standard requirements.
Once in Canada, Ukrainian nationals and their family members may apply for open work permits, study permits, and/or visitor records valid for up to 3 years, for a fee through regular inland IRCC channels and receive priority processing.
Note: As of July 16, 2023 there will no longer be Port of Entry (POE) facilitation. Clients must apply once they are inside Canada if they do not hold a TRV issued under the CUAET measures.
Post July 15, 2023 temporary resident visa processing
As of July 16, 2023, clients will no longer be able to apply for a new CUAET visa.
Ukrainian nationals and their foreign national family members who have not been issued a travel document or status document under the CUAET can apply for a regular TRV to travel to Canada, per standard requirements. These clients will be subject to standard fees, processing times and all applicable eligibility and admissibility requirements. Clients will also be required to enroll biometrics, and submit to an Immigration Medical Exam (IME), if required.
Note: Ukrainian nationals and their foreign national family members who have resided in Ukraine or another tuberculosis (TB) designated country require an IME if they plan to stay for more than 6 months.
Applications submitted under these measures should not have special program codes ‘UAC1/UAC2/UAC3’ associated.
A normal period of stay for visitors will be issued by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) on arrival (i.e. six months).
When assessing overseas TRV applications, officers are encouraged to take a facilitative approach considering the availability of work and study permits and the strong Ukrainian community ties in Canada.
Note: Ukrainians and their family members applying as temporary residents will not have access to federally-funded temporary accommodations or transitional financial assistance (CUTAI) but will have access to settlement services such as language training and orientation services until March 31, 2025.
In-Canada facilitation
Once in Canada, Ukrainian nationals and their family members can apply under regular pathways for an open work permit, study permit, or extension of temporary resident status valid for up to three years or until passport or biometrics validity. This application is subject to regular fees and must be submitted through regular IRCC inland channels.
Note: As of July 16, 2023 there will no longer be Port of Entry (POE) facilitation. Clients must apply once they are inside Canada if they have not been issued a TRV under the CUAET measures.
They can also apply to regular existing IRCC inland services, including the public policy granting certain visitors inland access to apply for an employer-specific work permit, valid until February 28, 2025.
Important: In-Canada applications for visitor records, open work and study permits will be priority processed to ensure a reduced wait time between arriving, applying in-Canada, and waiting for work and study permit applications to be processed to grant access to the labour market and means of self-support.
Applications submitted under these measures should not have special program codes ‘UAC1/UAC2/UAC3’ associated.
Refusing for non-compliance
Clients who apply after July 15, 2023 and fail to comply with the requirements (e.g. document requests, biometric enrollment) may be refused. Clients will be required to comply with all requirements under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) and officers should refer to standard refusal procedures for non-compliance.
For more information on refusals for temporary resident applications, refer to: Temporary residents – Refusals overview
Assessing applications for children and minors
During processing, in applications where it mentions explicitly on the application that minors intend to travel to Canada alone, officers should refer to standard procedures to review the application very closely and officers may request additional documents, such as a copy of the birth certificate, custody documents and additional details relating to the purpose of the trip.
Documents required for a minor travelling alone or with one parent include but are not limited to:
- a letter of authorization signed by both parents (or the parent(s) not travelling) or legal guardian;
- a copy of the birth certificate; and
- the minor applicant's travel document.
Additional information can be found here: Minor children travelling to Canada.
Applications submitted on behalf of a minor under the age of 18 must be signed by a parent or guardian. While a child and their parent(s) could both be applying for a TRV, each applicant is assessed separately.
An officer may request additional information about the minor child, if there is an indication that they might be traveling alone.
Non-Ukrainian family members
Foreign national family members of Ukrainian nationals will benefit from the in-Canada facilitation measures noted above provided they can demonstrate that they are the family member of a Ukrainian national.
As per subsection R1(3), a family member is defined as:
- spouse or common-law partner
- dependent child (applicant’s, applicant’s spouse’s or common-law partner’s)
- dependent child of a dependent child (grandchild)
Non-Ukrainian parents of Ukrainian children
Non-Ukrainian parents of Ukrainian children are not eligible for CUAET or post-July 15, 2023 facilitation measures, as per the definition of family member. They can apply for a regular TRV to travel to Canada, per standard requirements. These clients are subject to standard fees and all applicable eligibility and admissibility requirements and required to enroll biometrics, and submit to an Immigration Medical Exam (IME), if required.
Once in Canada, these clients would not be eligible to apply for an open work permit, study permit or extended stay under these measures as they do not meet the definition of family member.
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