Tens of thousands of Ukrainians will move to Canada before March this year, media report

As Canada’s resettlement agencies prepare to accept tens of thousands of Ukrainians by the end of March 2024, refugees from Russian aggression can still enter Canada under the temporary residence program. CNV News reports this.

Since March 2022, the Canadian government has issued 936,293 temporary emergency visas to Ukrainians who want to work or study in Canada during a full-scale war. As of November 28, a total of 210,178 people have moved to Canada.

An estimated 90,000 more emergency visa holders plan to arrive before the deadline. This is evidenced by the results of surveys conducted by Immigration Refugees and Citizenship Canada and Operation Safe Harbor Ukraine.

The Operation Ukraine Safe Harbor initiative was created to bring together interactions between local governments and settlements providing assistance to Ukrainians in Canada.

According to Sarosh Rizvi, director of the organization, the results of a sociological study show that we should expect a significant increase in the number of Ukrainian refugees compared to previous months.

Following the start of the large-scale occupation of Ukraine by Russian troops, Canada took unprecedented measures by opening its doors to an unlimited number of Ukrainian families through a new emergency visa program.

There were fewer ready-made solutions for Ukrainians compared to those available to ordinary refugees. However, residents of the country showed solidarity and began sharing clothes and furniture. Some even provided their homes. Companies offered jobs.

Despite the show of good will, there were still difficulties in finding housing. Now, as the war continues, public support is decreasing.

“We don’t have the level of public interest that we had two years ago,” Rizvi told reporters. He added that the public sector is now better prepared for the increase in immigrants.

Every part of the support system will be examined, he said, from the staff who help refugees stay in their homes to the capacity levels of hotels and even food banks. He also added that finding housing remains a problem.

“There is no specific answer to this at the moment. The need is still there, it is being solved on an individual basis,” the head of social work said.

The organization advises people who decide to move to choose smaller cities as it will be easier and cheaper to find housing.

Another organization, Pathfinders for Ukraine, helps Ukrainians navigate the Canadian immigration system. Their representatives can contact refugees abroad and help them decide whether coming to Canada is the right decision.

The organization says Canada can be a good place to live for many people. But it won’t suit many people.

“Crossing the ocean is a resource-intensive, costly and emotionally difficult decision,” said organization spokesman Randall Baran-Chong. According to him, there are several reasons for this.

Factors for successful immigration to Canada:

• Adaptability;
• Relatives in Canada;
• Knowledge of English or French;
• desire to work;
• Savings that will help you survive and pay significant rent until you find a job.

The original deadline for free entry to Canada from Ukraine was March 2023. However, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser extended this period for another year.

According to the Department of Immigration, there has been a significant influx of people looking to move to Canada ahead of the deadline. In the last week of March 2023 alone, nearly 8,000 people arrived on emergency visas.

Special visa holders who decide to move after March 31 will still be able to come to Canada. However, there will be no three-year work or study permits within the scope of the support program. There will be no right to receive any financial support.

Let us remind you that the Netherlands may start deporting some refugees from Ukraine as of March.

It was also reported that Poland plans to extend the temporary protection period for Ukrainians until March 4.