The Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program, launched in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, granted nearly 300,000 Ukrainians three-year visas to live and work in Canada. Now, as those visas near expiration, CUAET holders must apply online for extensions. However, many face hurdles such as delays in processing, difficulty renewing Ukrainian passports, and concerns about losing employment while awaiting approval.
Valeriy Kostyuk, executive director of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, argues that Ottawa should bypass the reapplication process and automatically renew work permits for all affected individuals. “A sustainable solution, which the government can offer if they have the will, is essentially to automatically renew all of the work permits of these people without having them to go through the bureaucratic process,” he told CTVNews.ca.
The Canadian government recently extended the deadline for renewal applications to March 31, 2026, allowing Ukrainians to continue working and studying while their applications are processed. However, Kostyuk and other advocates believe this measure falls short, warning that work permits will still expire, leaving many in legal and employment limbo.
Financial and Emotional Toll on Ukrainian Families
Iuliia Slabinska, a Ukrainian mother who relocated to Canada with her family after fleeing the war, describes the immigration process as overwhelming. Settling in Langley, B.C., she and her husband have worked multiple jobs to support their children, but their visas are set to expire this year.
“It’s exhausting financially, exhausting physically,” she said. “Every day, I face a huge amount of uncertainty.”