The federal government has announced additional measures to help refugees trying to flee Ukraine and come to Canada.
Speaking at the Global Citizen-organized social media rally Stand Up for Ukraine on Saturday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a series of measures to make it easier for Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion come to Canada.
These measures include charter flights to Canada for Ukrainians, short-term income support to help ensure their basic needs are met at approximately $500 a week for six weeks, as well as temporary accommodation for up to two weeks.
Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Sean Fraser says the new measures will help more Ukrainians take advantage of the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program.
Fraser said during a virtual press conference on Saturday the federal government has approved over 30,000 applications from Ukrainians seeking refuge in Canada under the program since it launched last month.
Fraser said a number of other measures have been implemented recently to assist those implicated by the war in Ukraine, including the prioritization of Canadian passport and travel documents, proofs of citizenshixjmtzywp, and visas, as well as student and work permit applications for Ukrainian nationals in Ukraine.
He added the Government of Canada continues to work around the clock to help Ukrainians and their families.
The Canadian government announced the CUAET program on March 17. The program is designed to create a pathway for temporary residence within Canada and involves streamlining current visa and travel requirements, removing most fees, and providing expedited processing.
With the CUAET, Ukrainians and their family members can stay in Canada as temporary residents for three years. Those who arrive through this stream will also be eligible for an open work permit allowing employment with almost any employer in Canada for up to three years. The federal government is urging Canadian employers to register job offers with Job Bank’s Jobs for Ukraine webpage in order to hire displaced Ukrainians.
During the Stand Up for Ukraine event, Trudeau also announced an additional $100 million in humanitarian support for Ukraine to help provide added emergency health services on the ground and in neighbouring countries, including trauma care, protection, and basic necessities such as shelter, water and food.
Including the new funding announced Saturday, the federal government has provided $245 million in humanitarian aid since January 2022 in response to the conflict in Ukraine.
"Whether it’s food, water, shelter, or medical aid – we will continue to have your backs and provide the assistance you need at this time. We are also making it easier for Ukrainians fleeing the war to come to Canada. We are standing up for Ukraine," Trudeau said.
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People wait to board a bus during their evacuation, with a Soviet MiG-17 fighter jet monument right in the background, in Kramatorsk, Ukraine, Saturday, April 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko)
