Home News Story Federal charter flights for Ukrainians who want to come to Canada

Federal charter flights for Ukrainians who want to come to Canada

Canada continues to stand with the people of Ukraine, including providing them with a temporary safe haven in Canada. We know that some Ukrainians and their family members may need help to travel, and we have been working to provide options for them to come to Canada.

Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Sean Fraser, announced three federal charter flights to Canada for Ukrainians and their family members. The flights will be available to people approved through the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) program.

The following flights will be available to approved CUAET visa holders on a first come, first served basis from Poland:

May 23 to Winnipeg, Manitoba
May 29 to Montréal, Quebec
June 2 to Halifax, Nova Scotia

In the coming days, Ukrainians who have received their visas to come to Canada through the CUAET will be contacted by email with information on how to register.

Once in Canada, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada will provide temporary accommodations for up to 14 nights to people on these flights who do not already have suitable accommodations in place.

These flights build on the existing supports available for Ukrainians to help them come to Canada, including the Ukraine2Canada Travel Fund, a partnership with Miles4Migrants, Air Canada, and the Shapiro Foundation which will help provide at least 10,000 free flights for those fleeing Putin’s war.

The Government of Canada will continue to work closely with provinces and territories and settlement organizations across the country to implement these special measures and to provide supports to Ukrainians as they arrive in Canada.

“Canada is doing everything it can to support Ukrainians before and after they arrive in Canada. Millions of Ukrainians have been displaced and forced to flee their homes, and these charter flights will help make sure that those who want to come to Canada have the support they need. We’ll continue to work with provinces and territories, settlement organizations and NGOs to make sure Ukrainians feel at home in their new communities.”

– The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Quick facts

Launched on March 17, 2022, the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) provides Ukrainians and their immediate family members of any nationality the opportunity to stay in Canada as temporary residents for up to 3 years. They are also eligible for a free open work permit or study permit, which allows them to take a job with almost any Canadian employer or enrol in an education program in Canada.
On March 30, 2022, the Government of Canada also announced temporary federal support to help eligible Ukrainians arriving under the CUAET to settle in their new communities. These extended settlement program services, which are typically only available to permanent residents, will be available until March 31, 2023, and include
- language training
- information about and orientation to life in Canada, such as help with enrolling children in school
- information and services to help access the labour market, including mentoring, networking, counselling, skills development and training
- activities that promote connections with communities
- assessments of other needs Ukrainians may have and referrals to appropriate agencies
- services targeted to the needs of women, seniors, youth and LGBTQ2+ persons
- other settlement supports funded through the Settlement Program
In addition, the Government of Canada is working to implement transitional financial support to cover basic needs and to organize temporary accommodations for Ukrainians arriving in Canada who do not already have suitable accommodation in place.
As of May 4, 2022, more than 204,000 CUAET applications have been submitted and close to 91,500 applications have been approved. Key figures are updated on a weekly basis.
American Express Global Business Travel will manage bookings for the eligible individuals on behalf of the Government of Canada. Momentum Solutions will be the official airline carrier.

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Federal charter flights for Ukrainians who want to come to Canada