May 5, 2022

What is Canadian Ukrainian Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET)

This program was announced by the Government of Canada to help Ukrainians quickly relocate away from war. Ukrainian citizens are able to apply online for a 10-year visitor visa, allowing them to stay in Canada for up to 3 years while being allowed to legally work in Canada.

What Legal Status is Given Under the CUAET Program?

Ukrainians arriving under the CUAET program become temporary visitors. This status allows them to leave and enter the country as needed. Being a temporary visitor is different from being a refugee since the latter aren’t allowed to leave Canada until they change their legal status.

Unlike refugees, this status doesn’t offer any financial support and anyone under the ‘temporary visitor’ status shall be responsible for securing their own income (whether through savings, donations, or earnings).

Who can apply for CUAET?

Under this program Ukrainian nationals as well as their family members (irrespectively of their nationality) can apply for a Canadian visa. Individuals who apply for the visa, are also encouraged to apply for the work permit.

How Can I Apply for a CUAET Visa?

CUAET Applications Processing Time

For standard cases, the declared goal is 14 days from receipt of a complete application. Realistically, you might have to wait for 30+ days until your application is processed. First applicants who applied, received their visas within 3 business days.

This does not guarantee that all applications are processed within the same deadline, however clearly indicates that CUAET applications are processed with high priority.

Is the CUAET Application Free?

The application is effectively free. The Government of Canada has waived the following fees:

Government visa application fees
Biometrics fees
Work permit application fees

Is Biometrics Required To Receive a Visitor Visa under CUAET?

The following categories of applicants have been exempted from giving biometrics:

Children up to 17 years of age.
Adults over 60 years
Individuals with previous Canadian visas and no derogatory immigration history

All other categories are required to give biometrics.

Find a Visa Application Center (VAC) where you can give biometrics.

In addition to the existing VAC network, the following locations have been added to process biometrics:

Warsaw (Poland)
Chisinau (Moldova)
Vienna (Austria)
Bucharest (Romania)

Where Do I Get My Visa?

Once your application has been successfully processed and approved, you can send your passport via courier services to any of the Visa Application Centers. Once your documents are ready, you will need to pick up your passport in person.

Are the Airtickets to Canada Free?

No, the Federal Government of Canada doesn’t cover any travel expenses. There might be private initiatives to pay for or subsidize the cost of travel.

Generally, all tickets will have to be purchased at commercial rates. Here are some of the popular ticket aggregation services:

Is Vaccination Against COVID-19 Required Under CUAET?

No, COVID-19 vaccination isn’t required. CUAET travelers are exempt from Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination entry requirements. Still, they will be required to quarantine and get tested for COVID-19 as necessary.

If you have been vaccinated against COVID-19, you won’t be required to get vaccinated again.

Health Exam

All CUAET applicants are exempt from the overseas immigration medical exam (IME), however, might be required to complete it once in Canada. This exam typically includes an X-ray and a blood test.

Is There Any Financial Support for Ukrainians under CUAET?

It has been recently announced that the federal government will be issuing one-time financial support under the Canada-Ukraine Transitional Assistance Initiative (CUTAI) of $3,000 per adult (18 years and older) and $1,500 per child (17 years and under). Source: Government of Canada.

In addition, the province of Quebec has recently launched a financial support program as a last-resource help.

Under this program, you will be assigned temporary financial aid so that you can live through the first several months and then enter the labour market.

Financial help is paid over the course of several months, and amounts paid are determined based on the size of your family and your financial situation. To apply, please visit this link

Additional Services for Ukrainians

Free Public Transport in Ottawa

Free public transportation in Ottawa for 6 months. OC Transpo Ottawa in their recent announcement has launched 6-month free access to all public transportation in Ottawa. To be eligible to participate, you must meet the following requirements:

Be an individual / family displaced from your home country, having newly arrived in Canada;
Not be getting transportation funding from any other source;
Not be a Government-Assisted Refugee (GAR) or on Ontario Works (OW)

Is Accommodation Provided Under CUAET?

Visitors are provided with short-term accommodation through a number of private initiatives. Recently, Airbnb announced their plans to host 100,000 “refugees” from Ukraine. Source: www.news.airbnb.com

In addition, there are a lot of volunteers willing to offer temporary accommodation to anyone arriving from Ukraine (see the list of Facebook groups below).

You will be responsible for securing long-term accommodation.

Are There Any Job Guarantees?

No, you will be entering the labour market on general conditions. You will be responsible for writing your CV, filling out your LinkedIn profile (if needed), and applying for jobs. Volunteers gladly offer their help with preparing your CV, please see the list of English-speaking Facebook groups below.

The government of Ontario has also opened a hotline helping Ukrainians with employment:

The hotline is 1-888-562-4769 and the email address is ukrainianjobs@ontario.ca.

Many Canadian businesses have posted jobs for Ukraine on Job Bank, the Government of Canada’s free-to-use online job board. Please see the below link.

Is Medical Insurance Provided?

At the moment of writing, only Newfoundland Labrador has officially announced that all Ukrainians who enter Canada under CUAET will be provided Medical Care Plan (MCP).

Ontario has recently announced that all Ukrainian evacuees will have access to OHIP (Provincial Healthcare Program). Details are yet to be announced.

The situation is changing rapidly, other provinces may come up with similar initiatives.