Refugee program for Ukraine

[Huntingwhale]

@mehdikiev - Not sure if your post didn't quote properly, but did you get any word yet on your CUETA application? We sent in my wife's cousin's application to the Warsaw office a month ago. Scrambled to do the biometrics and finally got it done April 6. Now we wait and haven't heard anything. Big shocker IRCC dragging their feet on this.

My wife and I are moving back to Canada in 2 weeks and we figured doing an EMERGENCY application such as this back in March would have been enough time for all of us to coordinate our flights, apartment leases, giving her job notice, etc. Instead we're left waiting with no word on how long it will take and will undoubtedly leave us scrambling until the very last minute. Hell, even the damn status bar on the IRCC portal site doesn't even show any progress, just a blank image.

To say I'm disappointed in all this program is an understatement, but absolutely not surprising in the least. Have read on some FB pages some people still waiting for approvals since the first day the program started. And I read correctly in this thread, medicals are now required, on top of the poor refugee footing the bill? AND still submit her passport, and wait even longer to get it back? The hell is the point of all this?

For a country that prides itself on having the "3rd largest UA population in the world", we sure love to make it difficult for them with all the red tape to jump through.

 

[tfox72]

Medical for the refused sponsorship....medical for work permit, medical for next sponsorship application - FU Ircc! is all I can say to that.

Damn right! And they should add Covid vaccine requirement. Ukraine before the war started only had a 35% vaccination rate. We shouldnt take in any unvaxxed people.

 

[canuck78]

@mehdikiev - Not sure if your post didn't quote properly, but did you get any word yet on your CUETA application? We sent in my wife's cousin's application to the Warsaw office a month ago. Scrambled to do the biometrics and finally got it done April 6. Now we wait and haven't heard anything. Big shocker IRCC dragging their feet on this.

My wife and I are moving back to Canada in 2 weeks and we figured doing an EMERGENCY application such as this back in March would have been enough time for all of us to coordinate our flights, apartment leases, giving her job notice, etc. Instead we're left waiting with no word on how long it will take and will undoubtedly leave us scrambling until the very last minute. Hell, even the damn status bar on the IRCC portal site doesn't even show any progress, just a blank image.

To say I'm disappointed in all this program is an understatement, but absolutely not surprising in the least. Have read on some FB pages some people still waiting for approvals since the first day the program started. And I read correctly in this thread, medicals are now required, on top of the poor refugee footing the bill? AND still submit her passport, and wait even longer to get it back? The hell is the point of all this?

For a country that prides itself on having the "3rd largest UA population in the world", we sure love to make it difficult for them with all the red tape to jump through.

100k+ applications were filed while IRCC was already facing backlogs for every form of application. The government can’t just drop all other IRCC business to process Ukrainian applications. Canada and many provinces have waived most of the fees. The doctors in the country Ukrainians are in could technically waive their own fee but Canada has no control on whether the doctor charges for their time. Health status and security are still important things to assess before letting people into Canada and so are biometrics so you actually know who is coming into Canada. Unfortunately there is a lot of opportunity for fraud when it comes to these large immigration programs. I can imagine it is very frustrating to face these delays but Canada and many provinces within Canada are investing a lot of money to try to help settle people arriving from the Ukraine. All the countries taking in such a large number of Ukrainians are doing so while resources are already incredibly stretched for the existing population so there will be bumps in the system. Most of the countries are facing a huge lack of housing especially affordable housing. People arriving from Ukraine will also need to come realizing that access to things like affordable housing will be a house struggle which is one of the reasons the basis of the program is access to a WP do that people will hopefully make enough to afford to support themselves. Although frustrating and it may seem to be taking a long time things are happening very quickly when it comes to government programs.

 

[moscatojuices]

100k+ applications were filed while IRCC was already facing backlogs for every form of application. The government can’t just drop all other IRCC business to process Ukrainian applications. Canada and many provinces have waived most of the fees. The doctors in the country Ukrainians are in could technically waive their own fee but Canada has no control on whether the doctor charges for their time. Health status and security are still important things to assess before letting people into Canada and so are biometrics so you actually know who is coming into Canada. Unfortunately there is a lot of opportunity for fraud when it comes to these large immigration programs. I can imagine it is very frustrating to face these delays but Canada and many provinces within Canada are investing a lot of money to try to help settle people arriving from the Ukraine. All the countries taking in such a large number of Ukrainians are doing so while resources are already incredibly stretched for the existing population so there will be bumps in the system. Most of the countries are facing a huge lack of housing especially affordable housing. People arriving from Ukraine will also need to come realizing that access to things like affordable housing will be a house struggle which is one of the reasons the basis of the program is access to a WP do that people will hopefully make enough to afford to support themselves. Although frustrating and it may seem to be taking a long time things are happening very quickly when it comes to government programs.

To add to this, my dad being an immigration officer, each application has to undergo admissibility and integrity checks before any applicant is let into the country - even if they're supposedly fleeing persecution or war. No matter how urgent it is to get someone over, the last thing IRCC, the government, the RCMP, the Public Safety and Immigration Ministers, and any person/politician in this country want to wake up to is a headline like:

"Suspected Ukranian mass murderer hiding in Canada" or "RCMP hunting KGB spies who infiltrated Canada through Ukrainian immigration program" or "Afghan national faces deportation after infecting 150 Canadian women with HIV."

Shit like this is real - it's happened in my home country and immigration vowed to never be rushed on any application ever again after these mistakes happened. As Canuck said, Canada is already being super generous - why can't those panel physicians drop their fees? Or maybe they have, or there are donations in place for them. I don't know.

Good luck though.

 

[Phalos]

To add to this, my dad being an immigration officer

...and you are here why???

 

[moscatojuices]

...and you are here why???

I don't understand your question.

 

[Nina53]

Hello everyone.

Bumped into government issue here. Situation: my mom was luckily pulled from Ukraine at the beginning of March soon after the war started. She had a 10 year visa to Canada issued long time ago and she used it to come here. Then she applied using CUAET program, but INSIDE the country path (exactly as instructed by the IRCC website). Now, she is being issued the visitor record for the duration of 3 years. But the paper IRCC sent via mail has no mention of CUAET abbreviation anywhere on that paper and therefore she was denied applying for OHIP (they apparently need to see the word CUAET). She has a heart issue and need medications and arrived here only with a small handbag and not unlimited supply of needed medication. So we cant see a doctor and get prescription (well we can, but you know that will be an insane price). Anyway my point is: did anyone here went through the CUAET program being inside country? And had any issues applying for OHIP? thank you for any advice/info.

 

[Phalos]

Hello everyone.

Bumped into government issue here. Situation: my mom was luckily pulled from Ukraine at the beginning of March soon after the war started. She had a 10 year visa to Canada issued long time ago and she used it to come here. Then she applied using CUAET program, but INSIDE the country path (exactly as instructed by the IRCC website). Now, she is being issued the visitor record for the duration of 3 years. But the paper IRCC sent via mail has no mention of CUAET abbreviation anywhere on that paper and therefore she was denied applying for OHIP (they apparently need to see the word CUAET). She has a heart issue and need medications and arrived here only with a small handbag and not unlimited supply of needed medication. So we cant see a doctor and get prescription (well we can, but you know that will be an insane price). Anyway my point is: did anyone here went through the CUAET program being inside country? And had any issues applying for OHIP? thank you for any advice/info.

Just type the word CUAET on top. Joke aside, you should contact ircc and explain you need the cuaet record.

 

[Phalos]

Just read on an FB group about a similar situation - the Ukrainian applied for CUAET but when they landed, the customs officer didn't put CUAET on their work permit.
They took it to OHIP office and they didn't care about that so they got OHIP without word "CUAET". I guess you should try another Service Ontario Kiosk who are less picky.

 

[Nina53]

Just read on an FB group about a similar situation - the Ukrainian applied for CUAET but when they landed, the customs officer didn't put CUAET on their work permit.
They took it to OHIP office and they didn't care about that so they got OHIP without word "CUAET". I guess you should try another Service Ontario Kiosk who are less picky.

Thank you for the tip. I was about to do the same and hope that in different location I will get through.

 

[eraangel]

Hello! I have a question. I am Ukrainian and I have a valid canadian visitor visa (valid until 2026). My wife has a Ukrainian permanent residence, but she has a russian citizenship. We applyed for her visa under CUAET program on April 4, biometrics on April 7. Since then her application has been without changes - for more than 2 month now. They haven't even started reviewing her eligibility. The application is with an open work permit and being processed in London. Does anyone have any clue why this might be happening? Is it because we are a same sex couple? Or because she is russian?
Should I myself apply for this CUAET, even though I have a valid visa?
We are currently in Buenos Aires and she gave her biometrics here, but her file is still processed in London. How do you think, will it help if we ask them to change her adress of residence from Ukraine to Argentina? Will it speed up the processing anyhow? I will be grateful for any assistance, or clue, or statistics.
We are now loosing hope, because I don't know anyone else who would wait for so long as we do.

 

[canuck78]

Hello! I have a question. I am Ukrainian and I have a valid canadian visitor visa (valid until 2026). My wife has a Ukrainian permanent residence, but she has a russian citizenship. We applyed for her visa under CUAET program on April 4, biometrics on April 7. Since then her application has been without changes - for more than 2 month now. They haven't even started reviewing her eligibility. The application is with an open work permit and being processed in London. Does anyone have any clue why this might be happening? Is it because we are a same sex couple? Or because she is russian?
Should I myself apply for this CUAET, even though I have a valid visa?
We are currently in Buenos Aires and she gave her biometrics here, but her file is still processed in London. How do you think, will it help if we ask them to change her adress of residence from Ukraine to Argentina? Will it speed up the processing anyhow? I will be grateful for any assistance, or clue, or statistics.
We are now loosing hope, because I don't know anyone else who would wait for so long as we do.

Likely because she is Russian. The fact that her spouse has not applied but she has as a Russian may also be creating a problem. What is your status in Argentina? How long have you been there? Depending on how long you have been in Argentina and what your status is there may also be an issue. You also need to apply for CUAET yourself. if you travel via normal visa you don’t have the ability to work or any other services being offered to Ukrainians.

 

[eraangel]

Likely because she is Russian. The fact that her spouse has not applied but she has as a Russian may also be creating a problem. What is your status in Argentina? How long have you been there? Depending on how long you have been in Argentina and what your status is there may also be an issue. You also need to apply for CUAET yourself. if you travel via normal visa you don’t have the ability to work or any other services being offered to Ukrainians.

In Argentina we have legal temporary status (called precaria, which is given to one who is waiting for a long-stay visa). We came here on March 3, and left Ukraine on February 24 after the bombing had started.
So I should apply for CUAET aswell?
Should I apply for her again under these rules from IRCC portal website?

• Tell us what type of group you are
• Identify all family or group members
• Complete an application for each member
• Submit all the applications at the same time
• Pay for all of the applications at the same time

If I apply for her again as my family with two linked applications, will it help?

 

[eraangel]

Likely because she is Russian. The fact that her spouse has not applied but she has as a Russian may also be creating a problem. What is your status in Argentina? How long have you been there? Depending on how long you have been in Argentina and what your status is there may also be an issue. You also need to apply for CUAET yourself. if you travel via normal visa you don’t have the ability to work or any other services being offered to Ukrainians.

I have called to their hotline, and they told me I don't need to apply for a CUAET visa, as I already have a visa, I can just come to Canada and apply for a work permit from within Canada online and they will give me one within the period of one month. They have an instruction for this cases that the canadian visa holders should not apply for a CUAET visa and they are recommended to apply for a work permin when in Canada, not before that. And they told me that my wife's criminal check has been already passed. What does it mean? The consultant told me she is probably being checked for her family connections to me right now, but "reviewing eligibility" stage is still not flagged yet in her account.

 

[Rododark]

Hello everyone i have some questions hope someone can help me
We are a family of 04 Ukrainians (02 childrens of 05 years and 02 parents) in Lima - Peru, we came on vacation in january and after the war we could not return to Ukraine, in april we found out about the CUAET, and we applied, 1 month later they gave us the TRV (visa stamped on passport), we have seen that some people from the community here, who also applied, they have the POE letter for work permit, however we have not received that letter, and we have already bought the plane tickets, I am also investigating and I understand that a medical exam for all of us is needed to go to Canada, does anyone know what kind of medical exam is needed? what should be in this medical exam, blood test? Xray? you should then translated into English at the time of presentation to the CBSA officers? In the same way, without the POE or LOI, do they give me a work permit at the port of entry? I have sent an email to Immigration in Lima but I have not received an answer. We are fully vaccinated (02 doses each one, except for my child because of their age) Thank you very much and god bless you!!