Frequently Asked Questions

You can access the latest statistics on Ukrainian arrivals by land/air, number of applications submitted, and approvals granted on the website of Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees Canada.

Ukraine’s public policy supporting the implementation of the Canadian-Ukrainian Emergency Travel Permit is available on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website at the following links: part 1, part 2, and part 3.

If you are an individual and would like to make a cash donation, you find more information under the Cash Donation section of Operation Ukrainian Safe Haven’s website. If you would like to volunteer in support of displaced Ukrainians, you can find how to do so in your province or territory under the Volunteer section of Operation Ukrainian Safe Haven’s website. 

If you would like to help as part of a company:

• You can make a cash donation on Operation Ukrainian Safe Haven’s website.
• You can submit job offers under the Jobs for Ukraine section of the Job Bank’s website.
• You can offer goods and services donations through Call to action: Canadian Industry for Ukraine.

The coordination of short and longer-term housing offers is handled by each province or territory. Updates are made on a rolling basis. For more information please Housing.

We invite individuals to express their generosity by making a cash donation, as this may better respond to pragmatic needs. If you want to make a donation of goods and services, you can contact a local service provider.

If you are seeking to make a donation of goods and services as a company, please visit Call to action: Canadian Industry for Ukraine.

Companies and individuals can donate via Operation Ukrainian Safe Haven’s website.

Thanks to the financial support of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, nearly 100 per cent of donations will support displaced Ukrainians and other refugees in need of settling in Canada, with just a portion of the donation going towards third-party application processing fee. Donations directed to a specific province or territory will be sent as per the donor’s request.

Donations directed to a specific province or territory will be sent as requested by the donor. General donations will be allocated based on the immediate needs of immigrant clients.

Official tax-deductible receipts will be provided for donations over $20. You will receive an email confirming your donation and a PDF receipt.

The federal government does not currently consider Ukrainians entering Canada as part of the refugee resettlement humanitarian program. As such, private sponsorship is not available.

Businesses can make cash donations on Operation Ukrainian Safe Haven’s website. They can also offer good and services donations via the portal Call to action: Canadian Industry for Ukraine.

In support of those affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) was created by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to help Ukrainians resettle in Canada as quickly as possible. The program also provides them with the ability to work and study while in Canada.

Ukraine’s public policy supporting the implementation of the Canadian-Ukrainian Emergency Travel Permit is available on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website at the following links: part 1, part 2, and part 3.

No, this option is not being considered at this time.

The European Union has a generous support package for Displaced Ukrainians within Europe. Considering Ukrainians have a durable solutions in place in Europe, they do not need resettlement in Canada.

The CUAET refers to the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel, a mechanism created by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to help Ukrainians travel to Canada as quickly as possible where they are provided with the authorization to work and study. For more information, please refer to the website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Ukraine’s public policy supporting the implementation of the Canadian-Ukrainian Emergency Travel Permit is available on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website at the following links: part 1, part 2, and part 3.

A refugee is a person in need of protection who has a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons of race, religion, political opinion, nationality, or membership in a particular social group. Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, a person in need of protection is a person in Canada who would be personally subject to danger of torture, risk of life, or risk of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment if they returned to their country of origin. 

A temporary resident is a foreign national who is legally authorized to enter Canada for temporary purposes. For more information, please refer to the website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. 

The Government of Canada does not consider displaced Ukrainians arriving in Canada as refugees because the European Union has a generous support package for displaced Ukrainians in Europe. Considering a durable solutions are in place in their home continent, there is a lesser need for resettlement in Canada. The Government of Canada created the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) to allow displaced Ukrainians to apply for a temporary resident visa.

Yes, the Government of Canada holds that it is important to keep families and loved ones together. If you have immediate family in Canada and you are affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, they may be able to sponsor you to come to Canada permanently. For more information visit  Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

No, a Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) visa holder can enter Canada with a one way ticket.

The Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) is valid for up to 10 years, in accordance with your passport validation period. It is a multi-entry visa for visa holders that opt for the counterfoil visa. For visa holders that opt for the foil-less visa option, it is a single-entry visa that must be used for travel within a maximum 6 months. The duration of stay is the same for all visa holders, whether it has a counterfoil or not: the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) visa is valid for up to three years.

A Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) visa with printed counterfoil permits multiple entries. 

The rules for working on a study permit under the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) as similar to regulation for  regular international students. For more details, please refer to the Government of Canada.

Please note that international secondary school students are not eligible for work.

No, vaccination is not required to enter Canada, however, those who do are not fully vaccinated by Canadian-approved vaccines must self-quarantine for 10 days. To learn more about accepted vaccines please consult the list available on requirements for COVID-19 vaccinated travellers. 

Individuals that are not fully vaccinated cannot travel on public transportation or take domestic flights. 

Before boarding the plane, displaced Ukrainians must complete the ArriveCAN application questionnaire.

You can find quarantine instructions at the Public Health Agency of Canada.

If your visa does not include a work permit, you must reapply for a visa and include a work permit application, under the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET). The new application will be prioritized ahead of other applications.

The open work permit contain restrictions as a measure of public health risks as displaced Ukrainians may not have yet completed medical tests. The restrictions apply only to four sectors where the protection of public health is essential: child care, health care, education and agriculture. Aside from the four areas of restriction, the open work permit allows displaced Ukrainians and their family members to work as soon as they arrive in Canada and have been issued a permit. CUAET holders who wish to work in one of the restricted occupations need to reapply to lift the restrictions once they complete their Medical Diagnostic Test. They can submit a new work permit application to have the occupation restrictions removed. More information can be found on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Estimated processing time for in-Canada temporary resident extensions can be found on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. However, completed visa reapplications under the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET), correctly identified according to the instructions of the government of Canada, are prioritized and often receive an answer within 14 days.

To date, the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel program is uncapped, meaning there is no maximum number of displaced Ukrainians that can enter Canada under this program.

The Pre-arrival survey for displaced Ukrainians and their family is a voluntary survey that Ukrainians who have chosen to relocate to Canada may fill out before their arrival. It comprises 27 questions that collect sociodemographic profile data of the newcomers.

The Pre-arrival survey for displaced Ukrainians and their family is a survey of 27 questions that will give the settlement sector a better sense of what services are needed to support displaced Ukrainians and where. The data in this survey will be shared with settlement agencies on the ground to prepare for the arrivals.

You can view the process for applying for emergency travel authorization for a minor here.

No. the Government of Canada treats everyone equally, whether they use a representative or not. For more information about immigration representatives, you can visit this web page of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

It is important to open a bank account in Canada to be able to make and receive various payments.

In Canada, you have the right to open a bank account at a bank or a federal credit union as long as you show proper identification. You may need to go to the financial institution in person to open a bank account. To find more information please see opening a bank account.

The identification must have been issued by a federal, provincial, territorial or state government authority and must be valid, that is, not expired. To be considered acceptable, the valid identification must include your: name, date of birth, photo, and signature. To open a bank account you can find the list of valid identifications at Identification you need to open a bank account.

You will have to visit the site of the province where you are settled. For more information, visit Driving Licenses.

Learn the steps for getting your credentials recognized in Canada at the website Credential assessment process.

Yes, the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada made an announcement on March 30 that Ukrainians under temporary resident visas will be eligible to access all federally funded settlement programs.

Some Canadian airports offer newcomer services to welcome and support you when you land, including

• CUIAS at Toronto Pearson International Airport
• S.U.C.C.E.S.S. at Vancouver International Airport
• CCIS at Calgary International Airport

Support may include translation services, information on government and community services and referrals to health care services if needed. You can also contact a local settlement services provider to get help adjusting to life in Canada.

The Welcome Package provides resources to help displaced Ukrainians as they arrive in Canada. You can access the content of these packages on our website in the section “Welcome to Canada“.

Yes, displaced Ukrainian will have access to settlement services. For a list of service providers refer to the list on the website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Some services are available before coming to Canada; Miles4Migrants has flight opportunities for those planning to come to Canada.

You might also find other services at unofficial organizations like Pathfinders for Ukraine.

To date, displaced Ukrainians under a temporary resident visa are not eligible for the Interim Federal Health Program. Provincial and Territorial governments are in various stages of amending current regulations to allow Ukrainians under Temporary Resident visas to immediately access healthcare in their province or territory. Information on healthcare in different provinces and territories is available on our website in Ukrainian and Russian.

No, Ukrainians and family members applying for temporary residence (Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel CUAET) in Canada are exempt from completing an Immigration Medical Examination (IME) before arriving in Canada. Applicants will be required to complete a Medical Diagnostic Test (MDT) within 90 days of arrival in Canada to screen for select communicable diseases.

There may be restrictions on your open work permit because you didn’t get a medical exam before you came to Canada. Once the Medical Diagnostic Test (MDT) is complete, it is possible to submit a new work permit application to IRCC to have the occupancy restrictions removed. For more information visit: How to remove medical restrictions on your open work permit.

The medical diagnostic test must be performed by a doctor from the IRCC list of Panel Physicians. The list of Panel Physicians to find a doctor in your area. Find a Panel Physician.

Arrivals in Canada under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program are entering as visitors and therefore have no coverage under the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP). Many provincial and territorial governments are currently reviewing and making decisions related to whether and how they extend health care coverage to the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) arrivals and whether or not the coverage will address components of the Medical Diagnostic Test. In instances where there are no clear options for coverage, the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) arrivals are required to cover the cost of any applicable fees.

Yes, children will need to complete the Medical Diagnostic Test (MDT) requirement as well. Please see the “Are displaced Ukrainians required to pay for the Medical Diagnostic Test (MDT) out of pocket?” question for testing requirements based on age.

Applicants have 90 days from the date of arrival to complete the Medical Diagnostic Test (MDT).

To provide identification to confirm your identity. The tests required are only those outlined above. The doctor or medical clinic staff won’t examine your breasts, genitals or rectal area. These parts of the body aren’t required for the Medical Diagnostic Test. You have the right to have a chaperone at any time during the Medical Diagnostic test. You may:

• ask the medical clinic to have a staff member in the room
• stop the test at any time to ask questions about what the doctor is doing
• stop the test and ask for a chaperone, even if you initially refused one

If you have questions or feel uncomfortable with a part of the test, please ask the panel physician to stop and address your concerns.

You can choose the doctor that is closest to you within this panel of physicians.

You can take a domestic flight to your final destination within 24 hours of your arrival in Canada.

After that period has elapsed, as per Aviation Security Exemption express, unvaccinated Ukrainian nationals and their non-Ukrainian family members may board an onward domestic flight after having completed the 14-day quarantine requirement at a Designated Quarantine Facility (DQF). These travellers:

• Are not required to obtain a pre-departure test result before their flight, so long as their domestic trip is within 48 hours of their release from a Designated Quarantine Facility; and
• Must have the valid paperwork as outlined in the Aviation Security Exemption

As of June 20, vaccination is not a requirement to take a domestic flight in Canada.

As displaced Ukrainians arrive in Canada under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET), they have no coverage under the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP). Policies for access to mental health support depend on each province and territory. 

You can refer to the  Wellness Together Canada site to learn more about mental health and wellness services for adults.

Yes, you can connect with Kids Help Phone’s professional counsellors in multiple languages (English, French, Ukrainian, Russian, Pashto, Dari, Mandarin and Arabic) by calling 1-800-668-6868.

Kids Help Phone provides phone counselling service in multiple languages, with the help of trained interpreters. It’s all free, private and available 24/7 in Canada. No ID is required.

You can use Child Helpline International’s website to find helplines worldwide if you’re outside Canada.

The counselling service in multiple languages is delivered over the phone by professional counsellors with the help of interpreters in Ukrainian, Russian, Pashto, Dari, Mandarin and Arabic.

The interpreters are randomly selected from a group of hundreds across Canada and the United States. They’re professionally trained to understand and translate what is said. It would help if you paused regularly for the interpreter to translate your words and help the counsellor understand them clearly.

During a conversation, our counsellors can listen, ask questions and help you decide on an action plan. They can also refer you to other programs and services nearest your community (and in more languages, where available). Our counsellors are trained to use culturally responsive practices to support a diverse range of young people.

You can contact Kids Help Phone for support with any issue on your mind, big or small. You can connect about things like anxiety, depression, isolation, relationships, bullying, abuse, school, jobs, grief, loss, racism, discrimination and more.

Kids Help Phone is here to support your wellness. While we don’t offer legal or medical advice or in-person services, we may refer you to people who do if you’d like. You’re welcome to call us more than once if you need/want to. Each time you call, you’ll be interacting with a different counsellor.

You can call Kids Help Phone in Ukrainian, Russian, Pashto, Dari, Mandarin and Arabic across Canada at any time. Are you interested in trying it out? Here’s how it works:

1. Call Kids Help Phone’s toll-free number at 1-800-668-6868.
2. Pres 3 to get support in Ukrainian, Russian, Pashto, Dari, Mandarin and Arabic.
3. Listen as a counsellor greets you in English.
4. Let the counsellor know which language you’d like to use.
5. Please stay on the line as the counsellor places you on a brief hold while they connect with an interpreter.
6. Follow the prompts from the counsellor/interpreter to start the counselling session.

You may have to wait a little bit to speak to a counsellor. The amount of time can vary depending on how many people call them. You may find it helpful to use this time to think about what you want to talk about with the counsellor or to try some well-being activities. Try to keep in mind that a counsellor will always try to answer your call and support you as best they can.

You can share these promotional materials with your network, including images for social media!

You can visit Resources Around Me to find newcomer and other support programs and services across Canada. When you browse your search results, you can filter by language and communities supported.

You can also check out (and share with your network!) tips, tools and stories for newcomers and more by browsing our website.

Kids Help Phone is committed to protecting your privacy. Your phone conversation with a counsellor is confidential and anonymous. This means that their counsellors will not share your information with anyone outside of Kids Help Phone unless they’re worried about your safety and you give them identifying information and permission to share it. We only store information that helps us understand and improve their service, but they’ll never reveal identifying information about you. To learn more, you can check out their phone service’s privacy policy, which includes information on duty to report.

The process to access individual housing offers is different in each province and territory. To find the designated institutions making the connection between those who offer their homes and the people who have been displaced from Ukraine who need housing, please refer to the Housing section. 

You can also find additional information and options at the Homelessness Network.

Yes, transitional hotel accommodation support will be provided to displaced Ukrainians.

For more information, please refer to the Prime Minister’s announcement.

Yes, a one-time Transitional Financial Assistance to cover basic needs will be provided to Ukrainians who have arrived in Canada or will be arriving on a Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) visa: $3,000 per adult (18 years and older) and $1,500 per child (17 years and under).

Service Canada is the delivery partner for this initiative and will be responsible for receiving applications for Transitional Financial Assistance and issuing the payment. In order for Service Canada to issue a payment, Ukrainian temporary residents who came through CUAET will need to open a Canadian bank account.

For additional information on how to apply for Transitional Financial Assistance as well as open a Canadian bank account, please refer to the website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

You can find further information about the one-time financial support on the website of OCASI and on this webinar.

Specific assistance for students can be found at Universities Canada. 

Students are encouraged to contact Student Services at their individual institutions.

Students can also contact settlement agencies who provide services to International Students. For a list of settlement agencies, please refer to the list on the website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

At this stage, the child tax benefit is only accessible after 18 months of residency in Canada. CISSA-ACSEI continues to advocate to make the child tax benefit available to displaced Ukrainians upon arrival.

Yes, as long as they are travelling on a Canadian-Ukrainian Emergency Travel Permit (CUAET), and their visas reflect this.

If you are an employer and you want to support displaced Ukrainians in Canada with a job, please register your offer through the Canada Job Bank and follow the simple process.

You can find federal and provincial information about employment and support programs available to CUAET visa holders in the employment section of this website.

Information on access to education in different provinces and territories is available on our website in Ukrainian and Russian after selecting the province or territory where you are located.

Yes, some Canadian companies have made donations to provide phones, tablets, SIM cards, and some other support for displaced Ukrainians arriving in Canada. Corporate donations are received and distributed by service provider organizations. You can find newcomer services near you on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s website.

Yes, friendly and experienced settlement professionals can help you. You can find newcomer services near you on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s website.

You can also refer to the list of jobs available on Canada Job Bank.

Item donations are collected by a range of charities and service provider organizations in Canada. Friendly and experienced settlement professionals can help you locate the organizations to access item donations where you live. You can find newcomer services near you on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s site.

Friendly and experienced settlement professionals can help you. You can find newcomer services near you on Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s website.

If your question is about immigration, please contact Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada on their dedicated Ukraine immigration contact page.

If your question is about healthcare, please contact the health authority of the province or territory you live in. 

If your question is about COVID-19 guidance, testing and self-assessment, you can access information specific to your province or territory on the website of the Public Health Agency of Canada. 

If your question is about the Open Work Permit or about employment, please access the resources on the website of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada as well as the Job Bank. 

According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, human trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation or harbouring of persons, or the control of their movements, generally for the purpose of sexual exploitation or forced labour. Its defining feature is the exploitation of women, men and children – usually for the purposes of sexual exploitation (sex trafficking) or forced labour.

Human smuggling is usually related to human trafficking and is the importation of people into a country by illegally crossing an international border. Human smuggling is a business transaction – where the individual(s) voluntarily agree to be smuggled in exchange for money – that ends upon arrival at the destination. There are instances where people who asked to be smuggled into a country become human trafficking victims at the hands of their smuggler.

Another criminal behaviour related to Human Trafficking is Forced labour which involves recruiting, moving, or holding victims to coerce them into doing any work. Victims may experience a wide range of abuse, including verbal, physical, and sexual. Examples of forced labour may include:

• working without pay
• performing tasks outside the scope of the employment contract
• not receiving vacation or overtime pay
• working extremely long hours
• deduction of “fees” for food or accommodation from pay cheques
• crowded and unsanitary living conditions
• sexual violence

For more information, visit the Royal Canadian Mounted Police webpage.

According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, individual and societal factors make a person more at-risk of being targeted for trafficking. When discussing risk, it’s important to note that some groups are more at-risk, but anyone can be vulnerable to this crime. Traffickers are extremely skilled at presenting themselves as potential protectors and providers or offering other solutions to a person’s immediate perceived problem. For example, traffickers can offer to pay for clothing, food or rent to indebt you to them.

Displaced persons and those fleeing their homes due to war, armed conflict, or anticipated armed conflict are more at-risk for exploitation and human trafficking. Things like language barriers, disconnection from social and cultural supports, and lack of economic opportunities while they wait for work permits and other basic necessities are all things that make Ukrainian newcomers more at-risk for exploitation here in Canada. Many displaced Ukrainian nationals coming into Canada are women and children, who are at an increased risk of being targeted for sex trafficking in Canada.

Although women represent most human trafficking victims in Canada, men and children can also be victims. Those who are most likely to be at-risk include:

• Persons who are socially or economically disadvantaged, including Indigenous women, youth and children, migrants and new immigrants, and runaway/homeless youth
• Girls and women who may be lured to large urban centres or move there voluntarily

You can find more information and contact to the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline here.

You or someone you know could be a victim or at-risk of being a victim of human trafficking. Here are some signs to look out for:

• Being controlled by someone else (i.e. being escorted or watched all the time).
• Being tattooed (with the trafficker’s initials), branded or scarred to show ownership by the trafficker
• Signs of malnourishment
• Someone speaks on their behalf despite being physically able to speak for themselves
• Not in possession of any forms of identification nor knowing the location of their passport
• They are frequently moving locations or being moved
• Signs of physical and sexual abuse, including visible injuries like bruises

Expresses fear/intimidation through facial expressions and/or body language

If you believe you may have information about a potential trafficking situation:

• Report any suspicious activities to your police of jurisdiction (they are there to help you!). Call 9-1-1 if there is an emergency to contact police, ambulance &/or firefighters (i.e. severe injuries, &/or imminent danger of loss of life)
• Post the anonymous tip-line to report crimes at Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS)
• Or call the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free hotline at 1-833-900-1010: Hotline Response Advocates are available 24/7/365 to receive tips on potential human trafficking. You can also submit an anonymous tip through the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline.

You can learn about, share, and post the Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police number in your community at 1-833-900-1010.

For more information, visit the Royal Canadian Mounted Police webpage.

As part of the domestic and international fight against impunity for perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide, the objectives of Canada’s Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes Program are to deny safe haven in Canada to persons believed to have committed or been complicit in such crimes and to seek accountability for their conduct. Delivered jointly by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Department of Justice (Justice Canada), the War Crimes Program takes a holistic approach, which includes three main avenues to seek accountability:

• criminal investigations and prosecutions
• various immigration proceedings
• citizenship revocation
• In some cases, the War Crimes Program pursues all three avenues.

Canada is aware of the serious allegations that war crimes and crimes against humanity have been committed in Ukraine. In response, Canada’s national police service, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, has opened an investigation into these allegations. Please click here to learn more about Canada’s investigation and how you can support it. If you do not have internet access, please call 1-833-812-1263.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is aware that many Ukrainians coming to Canada or already in Canada may have witnessed or experienced potential war crimes and crimes against humanity while in Ukraine. If this applies to you, the RCMP wants to hear your account of what happened. Your information could contribute to future criminal cases against those responsible for such reprehensible acts.

War crimes and crimes against humanity include some of the most heinous acts committed across the globe. The RCMP takes all allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity very seriously. We are committed to fully investigating such allegations of the law and holding those involved in such crimes accountable for their actions.

Rest assured that sharing information is your choice. The information will be safeguarded by the RCMP and only used for investigative purposes and criminal prosecutions.

Sharing information and potential evidence will not impact your immigration status in Canada.

If you choose to share your information, the RCMP will review and analyze it carefully and may contact you later for follow-up.