Organizations that welcome immigrants to Canada are preparing for a mass arrival of Ukrainians before the March 31 expiration of the emergency visa program for those fleeing the Russian invasion.
Since March 2022, Ottawa has issued more than 936,293 emergency temporary visas to Ukrainians seeking to work or study in Canada while waiting for the war to end. Of that number, as of November 28, 210,178 people had actually arrived between Canada and Ukraine under this emergency travel authorization.
However, up to 90,000 more emergency visa holders plan to enter Canada before the March 31 deadline, suggests the organization Operation Safe Haven for Ukrainians and pre-arrival surveys by Canada Immigration.
This would be a significant increase in the number of Ukrainian newcomers compared to previous months, said Sarosh Rizvi, director of the welcoming organization.
When Russia launched its violent invasion of Ukraine in 2022, millions of people fled the country in search of safety. Canada has taken an extraordinary approach and opened its doors to an unlimited number of Ukrainians and their dependents under a new emergency visa program.
Compared to what exists for people arriving as traditional refugees, there were few established support organizations on the ground to help Ukrainian newcomers get back on their feet. Citizens then mobilized to donate clothing and furniture, companies offered them jobs, and some Canadians even welcomed them into their homes.
But as Ukraine approaches the second anniversary of the Russian invasion, this wave of support is waning somewhat. “We no longer have the public interest we had two years ago,” Mr. Rizvi admitted in an interview on Wednesday.
Reception services under scrutiny
The support was gradually institutionalized, Mr. Rizvi said. Reception services are therefore now better prepared to respond, but the expected influx will strain their capacity.
“I think every part of hospitality is being tested,” he said, be it hotel capacity or food banks.
The other challenge is finding housing for these people, he said.
There is currently no comprehensive answer to this problem. There remains a need and is always clarified on a case-by-case basis.
The organization is also trying to encourage people who want to come before the March 31 deadline to consider settling in smaller communities where housing is easier to find and more affordable.
Another hosting organization, Pathfinders for Ukraine, helps refugees navigate the immigration system. The group is also trying to reach Ukrainians abroad to assess whether their decision to come to Canada is beneficial to them.
It is a resource-intensive, expensive and emotionally stressful decision to cross an ocean, said organization founder Randall Baran-Chon in an interview.
For many people Canada is the right choice, but for some it is not.
Some factors give newcomers a better chance of succeeding in Canada, Mr. Baran-Chong noted, including their ability to adapt and have family in the country, speak English or French, be willing to work and have savings to support their careers To make a living until they find employment.
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Canadians greet Ukrainian refugees at Winnipeg Airport, May 2022.
Photo: The Canadian Press / David Lipnowski
A last minute rush
Ukrainian refugees originally had until March 2023 to enter Canada, but then-Immigration Minister Sean Fraser extended the deadline by a year just days before the deadline.
The Department of Immigration has seen a huge increase in the number of people arriving in Canada before that initial deadline, according to documents the department obtained under the Access to Information Act.
In the last week of March 2023 alone, almost 8,000 people arrived on emergency visas.
The documents show there was also a last-minute rush for applications just before the government closed the program to new applications in July.
I think by the end of the month we'll have an idea of how many people are actually thinking about using the visa, but we've probably been hearing people talking about this move since September or October.
Ukrainians with special visas arriving after March 31 are still welcome in Canada, but are not eligible for a three-year work or study permit and are not eligible for financial or admission assistance.