441-02648 (Social affairs and equality)

The universality criterion of the Canada Health Act, Canada’s federal health care insurance legislation, requires provincial and territorial health care insurance plans to provide coverage for medically necessary hospital and physician services (i.e., insured health services) on uniform terms and conditions to all residents. Under the Act, a resident of a province or territory is defined as a person lawfully entitled to be or to remain in Canada who makes their home and is ordinarily present in the province or territory, but does not include a tourist, a transient, or a visitor to the province or territory.

While not a requirement of the Act, provinces and territories may choose to provide health care insurance coverage to individuals who do not meet the residency requirements for coverage, including temporary foreign workers, international students, and individuals that hold other types of temporary visitor permits. It is Health Canada’s understanding that most provinces and territories have chosen to extend health care insurance coverage to individuals holding eligible permits under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel program.

Given the provincial and territorial jurisdiction for health care delivery, decisions on providing coverage to those who do not meet the definition of "resident" under the Canada Health Act rest with provincial and territorial health ministries.

Canada is committed to supporting Ukrainian people and their families impacted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. As part of the Government of Canada’s response to the situation in Ukraine, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has introduced immigration streams for Ukrainians and their family members who want to come to Canada temporarily or permanently.

Launched on March 17, 2022, the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) offered Ukrainians and their immediate family members the opportunity to stay in Canada as temporary residents. Under the CUAET program, Ukrainian nationals could also obtain an open work permit or a study permit for up to three years, free of charge, with the possibility of extending their stay. These applications, including study permits for minors, benefitted from priority processing. It allowed children to enroll in studies at the primary and secondary school level shortly after arriving in Canada.

IRCC funds the Settlement Workers in Schools (SWIS) program, which provides school-based settlement programming to support the integration of newcomer students and their families while fostering inclusion and intercultural competence within the education system.

To further support Ukrainians fleeing the conflict, the CUAET also provided additional in-Canada benefits, including transitional financial assistance and temporary hotel accommodation for up to 14 nights to CUAET holders who arrived in Canada by March 31, 2024. CUAET holders had until June 30, 2024, to apply for transitional financial assistance that helped meet their basic needs as they arrived in communities across Canada. The benefit was a direct one-time payment of $3,000 per adult and $1,500 per child (17 years and under).

Though the deadline for many of the temporary residence immigration measures for Ukrainians and their family members was March 31, 2024, IRCC has implemented a series of measures to continue supporting individuals fleeing the war in Ukraine, as well as Ukrainian nationals in Canada wishing to extend their stay:

• Ukrainians and their family members who applied for a CUAET visa on or before July 15, 2023, but did not receive a decision on their CUAET application by February 4, 2024, may be eligible to travel to Canada as a CUAET visa holder and receive the following benefits associated with the CUAET:

the ability to apply untilDecember 31, 2024, at a POE upon arrival or inland for a fee-exempt study permit, open work permit and for an extended stay of up to 3 years (subject to passport and biometrics validity).

• Ukrainians and their family members with valid temporary status who were approved under the CUAET measures and arrived in Canada on or before March 31, 2024, can apply for an open work permit, its extension, or a study permit until March 31, 2025, subject to standard fees.

Additionally, all Ukrainian temporary residents and their family members in Canada are eligible to access free settlement services until March 31, 2025. Provided by a network of over 550 settlement services providers across Canada (outside of Quebec), these services include language assessment and training in English and French; employment services that help newcomers search for, gain, and retain employment in regulated and non-regulated professions; and supports to help connect newcomers with their communities. Other services provide information about and orientation to life in Canada, including how to enroll children in school and obtain longer term housing, which helps those fleeing the invasion to fully participate in Canadian communities.

The Government of Canada advises against international adoptions during crises such as a war. For children who are separated from their families, the priority must be reunification with their parents or family members. In crisis situations, it can be challenging to determine whether a child is legally eligible for adoption.

Ukrainians and their family members interested in making Canada their permanent home could have used the family reunification pathway to permanent residence, launched on October 23, 2023. To qualify, Ukrainian nationals who are in Canada with valid temporary resident status could have applied to stay in Canada with a member of their family who is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. This builds on Canada’s commitment to help keep families together and allow Ukrainian nationals to build their lives in Canada with the support of their family. Applications for this program are/were being accepted until October 22, 2024.

Ukrainians, who wish to immigrate or to stay in Canada permanently, can also apply for permanent residence through various federal and provincial immigration programs and streams, including economic pathways, family sponsorship, and the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP). The extended visit, work, and study status offered by the CUAET along with access to settlement services, assists individuals in transitioning from temporary to permanent residence. This may involve improving language skills, gaining Canadian work experience, or having foreign credentials recognized. Applicants may use the Come to Canada tool as a guide in assessing their suitability for Canada’s immigration programs.

The Government of Canada continues to monitor the situation and adapt its response to meet the needs of those fleeing Russia’s illegal invasion. We will continue to work closely with provincial, territorial, and municipal partners, as well as settlement service providers and the Ukrainian-Canadian community. Any new developments will be communicated publicly.

• Education plays a vital role in helping individuals prepare for the future. This is true for Ukrainian children whose lives and learning have been disrupted by war. Accessing education can help these individuals build a better and brighter future for themselves.
• Education in Canada falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of individual provinces and territories. However, the federal government plays a supporting role. For example, the federal government offers student grants and loans to individuals who wish to pursue post-secondary education in Canada through the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program. These supports are offered to Canadian citizens, permanent residents and protected persons and can be accessible to Ukrainians who settle in Canada and become permanent residents. 
• Additionally, individual provinces and territories, as well as educational institutions such as colleges and universities, have played a key role in welcoming Ukrainian nationals fleeing war and facilitating their access to educational services through supports such as scholarships, international tuition fee waivers, and settlement services.