Canada is bracing for an influx of tens of thousands of Ukrainian arrivals before the end of March 2024, a critical deadline for those seeking refuge from the violence triggered by the Russian invasion. Ottawa has already issued 936,293 temporary emergency visas since March 2022, allowing Ukrainians to work or study in Canada throughout the conflict.
As of November 28, 210,178 individuals have made their way to Canada. Over 90,000 emergency visa holders are contemplating making the journey before the looming deadline, according to pre-arrival surveys conducted by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada and Operation Ukraine Safe Haven.
CBC reports a significant number of Ukrainians are expected to fly to Manitoba alone before the end of March. Joanne Lewandosky, a representative of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Manitoba Provincial Council, reveals that over 20,000 Ukrainians have already been accepted by the province since the conflict’s onset. She emphasizes the trauma faced by these individuals, leaving their homes and friends behind.
The Operation Ukraine Safe Haven project, a national initiative facilitating communication and resource linkage for supporting Ukrainians coming to Canada, has a National Secretariat focused on post-arrival planning for displaced Ukrainians.
Sarosh Rizvi, the executive director of Operation Ukraine Safe Haven, anticipates a significant rise in Ukrainian arrivals in the coming months. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has proactively introduced new immigration streams and plans to expand settlement services for Ukrainians relocating to Canada.
Despite community and business support, including donations of clothes, furniture, job offers, and accommodation, challenges persist for Ukrainian families. As the second anniversary of the Russian invasion approaches, support levels have waned, posing difficulties for those still striving to find stable living arrangements.
The founder of Pathfinder for Ukraine, another group aiding Ukrainians with Canadian immigration, highlights the resource-intensive and emotionally taxing nature of the relocation decision. Success in Canada, he notes, hinges on factors such as adaptability, family ties, language proficiency, willingness to work, and financial support.
While individuals holding special visas can still enter Canada after March 31, they will be ineligible for the three-year work or study permit under the program, and financial or settlement support will not be available.”
