Canada has extended special immigration measures for Ukrainian nationals who arrived under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET). As of April 1 2026, Ukrainians—and their eligible family members—who reached Canada on or before 31 December 2024 can apply until 31 March 2027 to lengthen their open work permits for up to three additional years. The policy renewal responds to the continuing Russian invasion and to labour-market needs in sectors such as construction, healthcare and hospitality that have successfully integrated over 240,000 CUAET arrivals. It also aligns with Ottawa’s target of issuing at least 485,000 new work permits in 2026, 8 percent of which are expected to come from humanitarian streams. Key eligibility conditions include holding a valid CUAET-issued open work permit, remaining physically present in Canada for the application and passing standard admissibility and biometrics checks. Each individual can use the extension pathway only once.
![Ottawa grants Ukrainians another year to seek three-year work-permit extensions]()
Application fees remain CAD 255 (processing plus open-permit fee). Whether you are a Ukrainian CUAET holder or a Canadian employer assisting staff, VisaHQ’s specialists can simplify every step—from document checks to biometric scheduling—and their secure portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) lets you track progress in real time, helping ensure applications are error-free and submitted on schedule.
IRCC emphasises that applicants must ensure their passports and biometrics have at least three years’ validity; otherwise, the new permit will mirror the shorter expiry. For employers, the extension window is a boon: existing Ukrainian employees can maintain uninterrupted work authorisation without pursuing labour-market impact assessments (LMIA). Mobility managers should audit permit expiry dates early and build template letters confirming continued employment to streamline applications. Settlement agencies note that processing times for passport renewals at Ukraine’s embassy in Ottawa have lengthened, which could delay some extensions. Companies may need to adjust travel or assignment schedules accordingly. Nonetheless, the policy underscores Canada’s humanitarian stance and supplies a predictable workforce for regions facing acute skill shortages.
Application fees remain CAD 255 (processing plus open-permit fee). Whether you are a Ukrainian CUAET holder or a Canadian employer assisting staff, VisaHQ’s specialists can simplify every step—from document checks to biometric scheduling—and their secure portal (https://www.visahq.com/canada/) lets you track progress in real time, helping ensure applications are error-free and submitted on schedule.
IRCC emphasises that applicants must ensure their passports and biometrics have at least three years’ validity; otherwise, the new permit will mirror the shorter expiry. For employers, the extension window is a boon: existing Ukrainian employees can maintain uninterrupted work authorisation without pursuing labour-market impact assessments (LMIA). Mobility managers should audit permit expiry dates early and build template letters confirming continued employment to streamline applications. Settlement agencies note that processing times for passport renewals at Ukraine’s embassy in Ottawa have lengthened, which could delay some extensions. Companies may need to adjust travel or assignment schedules accordingly. Nonetheless, the policy underscores Canada’s humanitarian stance and supplies a predictable workforce for regions facing acute skill shortages.
