New measures give emergency arrivals more time to work, stay and reunite with family as war enters 5th year
Ukrainians who came to Canada under emergency programs launched after Russia’s full-scale invasion will have more time to work and stay as the war grinds on, the federal government says.
The Honourable Lena Metlege Diab, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, has announced that certain Ukrainians and their family members will have an additional year to apply to extend their work permits, according to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The move comes as Canada marks four years since Russia’s full-scale invasion and reiterates its commitment to supporting Ukrainians who have sought refuge here and are “contributing to our communities and labour market,” IRCC said.
The measures build on the Canada‑Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) and related policies that have allowed hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians to live, work and study in Canada on a temporary basis.
March 31, 2027 deadline
Under the new measures, Ukrainians and their family members who arrived in Canada on or before March 31, 2024, through CUAET and related channels will be eligible to apply for an extended work permit. CUAET holders who did not receive a decision in time to arrive by March 31, 2024, but who were allowed to arrive by Dec. 31, 2024, are also covered, IRCC said.
Those who were issued work permits under CUAET and related measures now have until March 31, 2027, to apply to extend their work authorization for up to three years.
“These measures, like the CUAET, are temporary,” the department noted, emphasizing that the policies are designed to let Ukrainians and their family members “continue to work, while recognizing that many will eventually return home to contribute to Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction.”
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada also stressed that people looking to extend their stay as visitors or to extend study permits can do so under regular IRCC processes, with standard fees applying.
“As Russia’s war against Ukraine persists, Canada continues to support displaced Ukrainians through CUAET, through this extension. The program allows this cohort to work and contribute to the Canadian economy while they are here,” Metlege Diab said in a statement. The minister framed the decision as part of a broader suite of immigration measures introduced since 2022 to offer Ukrainians “temporary safety and an opportunity to work and study in Canada while Russia’s illegal invasion persists,” according to IRCC.
Longer-term options for Ukrainians
The latest changes take effect as of April 1, 2026, when special measures for Ukrainians and eligible family members in Canada were updated. While CUAET itself ended on July 15, 2023, federal officials say immigration measures remain in place for people in Canada who “have a valid open work permit that was issued under a public policy for Ukrainians and eligible family members” or who are waiting on a decision in the permanent residence pathway for Ukrainians and their relatives.
Ottawa is also trying to give longer-term options to those who want to remain. In 2023, the government launched a family reunification pathway to permanent residence for Ukrainian nationals with family members in Canada, “to help them stay together,” IRCC noted.
More recently, additional measures were announced to make it easier for those who applied under that pathway to extend their temporary status in Canada while they wait for a decision on their permanent residence applications.
Canada stands with Ukraine
The work‑permit extension announcement comes against the backdrop of a broader foreign‑policy and humanitarian commitment that spans defence, sanctions, reconstruction and immigration, according to Global Affairs Canada. In a Feb. 24 statement marking four years since Russia’s full‑scale invasion, senior ministers underscored both the scale of Canada’s support and the human cost of the conflict.
“For four long years, the people of Ukraine have defended their country’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and identity in the face of Russia’s brutal full-scale invasion. The cost to Ukrainians has been immense: they have suffered lives lost, families torn apart, millions displaced, homes and cities destroyed and more than words can capture,” said the joint statement from Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, Defence Minister David J. McGuinty, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab and Secretary of State (International Development) Randeep Sarai. The ministers warned that Russia’s strikes on energy infrastructure and civilians have “profound and devastating” humanitarian consequences that “may result in war crimes and crimes against humanity,” Global Affairs Canada said.
“Canada has stood with Ukraine since its independence in 1991 and reinforced its support in the face of Russia’s aggression in 2014 and then again in 2022,” the statement continued. Since 2022, Canada has committed over $25.5 billion in financial, military, humanitarian, immigration, recovery and reconstruction, and security and stabilization assistance, including more than $12 billion in financial support and $8.5 billion in military aid ranging from armoured vehicles and air defence to uncrewed aerial systems and munitions, according to Global Affairs Canada.
