This month, the New Brunswick government hired a plane to bring in 170 Ukrainians fleeing the war.
At the airport, tearful gatherings and friendly hugs looked the same, but although they traveled to find safety, these newcomers to Canada were not considered refugees.
In March, the federal government set up a special program that quickly tracks immigration for Ukrainians. The resulting program, called the Canada-Ukraine Emergency Travel Authority, is different from any other program to date.
People who enter through this program are considered temporary residents. This means that they can work and study in Canada for three years. However, unlike refugees, they do not have a permanent residence when they land, do not receive provincial social assistance, will have to pay fees for international students if they want to go to university, and initially did not have resettlement support.
Moncef Laquas, president of the New Brunswick Multicultural Council, said the government’s decision to do so confuses him. He said that the barriers associated with being a temporary resident can make it difficult to establish.
“I ask this question every day… What is the difference between what is happening in Ukraine against Syria and Afghanistan? Well, they are not being persecuted by their own government, but there is still a bomb that will fall. “
Moncef Laquas, president of the New Brunswick Multicultural Council, said that because the new program was based on a program designed for temporary workers, the government had to adjust and make exceptions to meet the needs of people fleeing the war. (Submitted by Moncef Laquas)
The answer is in the Ukrainian community, according to the service of the Federal Minister of Immigration.
Aiden Strickland, a spokesman for Canada’s immigration, refugee and citizenship minister, said refugee status was permanent and the Ukrainian community wanted a temporary solution.
If a refugee returns to his country after settling in Canada, his status will be revoked, she said.
However, Ukrainians arriving in Canada under this program can travel freely and after three years they can apply for permanent residence.
“In talks with the Ukrainian community, especially the Ukrainian-Canadian Congress, they have really made it clear that many Ukrainians who come to Canada will want to return home when it is safe to do so,” he said. she.
“Because they really feel that this will be an option for them, they feel that they will be able to win this war and they feel that they will be able to return in a few years.”
The refugee process is also taking longer, she said.
“It can take years to take initiatives in Afghanistan and Syria,” she said.
“I am for this program”
Ivan Zakharenkov, president of the Ukrainian St. John’s Association, came to Canada from Ukraine 20 years ago and is hosting three families who arrived under the new program this month.
He said it was incorrect to say that all Ukrainians in New Brunswick had the same opinion on the issue, but he personally believed the interim agreement worked.
“I don’t think the Ukrainians, at least the ones I talked to, who are thinking of moving to Canada, want this situation, ‘it never comes back,'” he said. “But they also want to have the opportunity in this country.
“I’m for this program.”
He said people who are unable to work immediately, do not speak English, have many children and no savings may need the support that comes with the refugee program. This new program makes it easier and faster for people who do not need this support to come to Canada, he said.
Strickland said Ukrainians applying through the accelerated program do not have to meet specific work experience, language or educational goals to be approved.
“Individuals are still subject to security checks,” she said.
Since the program was introduced, several changes have been made to address the issues that come with a temporary resident, Strickland said. The federal government has created an exception that allows Ukrainian newcomers to have access to settlement services, such as language classes.
They also did not initially receive any financial assistance, but the program was later changed to provide a one-time check of $ 3,000 for adults and $ 1,500 for children. People arriving on charter flights can also receive accommodation for 14 days until they find a new home.
Newly arrived Ukrainians arriving on charter planes do not receive the assistance offered to refugees, but they also do not have to follow certain rules required by refugees. (Radio Canada)
On behalf of the province, immigration spokesman David Kelly said the province is contributing funds to resettlement agencies.
“If people need more services, the government is ready to consider options for help,” he said.
Opportunities New Brunswick also connects newcomers with employers, he said.
Zakharenkov said 7.7 million Ukrainians have left the country and are distributed across Europe. Nearly 200,000 of them completed the application to reach Canada through this program.
He said that if he could give any advice to Ukrainians who are considering coming to Canada, it is not to be underestimated how big the move is, even though it is temporary.
“A rocket landed two blocks today from my aunt and uncle. And they still think it will be over in a few days or a few weeks,” he said.
“The decision to move to Canada is a permanent one, with the possibility of returning to your country at any time in the future, whenever you want, when things settle down. I think immigration into this particular program allows you to do that, but you have to make a firm decision that you will settle in this new country. “
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