Since the war with Russia began, about 4,000 Ukrainians have been authorised for immigration to Canada, according to Canada’s immigration minister on Monday.
Since hundreds of refugees began fleeing Russian violence in the region, the Canadian government has prioritised current immigration petitions from Ukraine.
“We anticipated to see Ukrainians displaced as a result of news of a probable additional incursion into Ukraine. That is why, more than a month ago, we began planning to respond to a potential surge of persons wishing to come to Canada “Immigration Minister Sean Fraser stated this during a press conference on Monday.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin has created a refugee catastrophe, and the United Nations Refugee Agency, UNHCR, has stated that over 500,000 Ukrainians have fled to neighbouring countries thus far.
On Tuesday, the UN is likely to issue a call for humanitarian assistance for Ukrainians who have been displaced by the violence in their nation, as well as those who remain within the country’s borders.
The immigration minister stated that he has been consulting with members of the Ukrainian Canadian community, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, and companies about how to best welcome individuals to Canada’s safety, and that he will announce more steps to solve the problem in the coming days.
The NDP has asked Canada to remove visa requirements for Ukrainians seeking asylum in order to prevent those fleeing persecution from being “subjected to a bureaucratic nightmare.”
“The European Union, and most recently Ireland, have previously eliminated the need for Ukrainians to get visas. If other countries can do it, the Liberal government has no justification for failing to act “Jenny Kwan, NDP immigration critic, said in a statement on Monday.
The government is not currently revising the visa requirement, according to Jean-Marc Gionet, director general with immigration programme direction, who testified Monday before the Commons foreign affairs committee.
Fraser stated at the briefing that Canada has increased staff in its offices in Poland, Austria, and Romania in order to better handle a potential rush of applications to come to Canada.
“Our objective is to find the best way ahead so that more Ukrainians may come to Canada simply and safely,” Fraser explained.
The government has also granted temporary residency to Ukrainians who are already in Canada on employment, guest, or student visas and are unable to return home.
Concerning Canadians in Russia, the prime minister refused to commit to repatriating individuals who may face retaliation as a result of Canada’s activities in support of Ukraine.
Last weekend, the government restricted Canada’s airspace to Russian planes, and while the government will assist individuals in need throughout the world, Trudeau stated that the situation is extremely challenging.
The Canadian Press released this news on February 28, 2022.