Canada to speed up permanent residence decisions for Ukrainians already in the country
Canada will provide additional funding and processing capacity to accelerate thousands of pending permanent-residence applications from Ukrainians and Hong Kong residents already living in the country. The measures aim to reduce waiting times and clear the remaining family-reunification backlog in 2027.
Key points
- Canada will add funding and processing capacity for thousands of pending permanent-residence applications.
- The additional quota aims to process the remaining family-reunification applications in 2027.
- Most of the roughly 19,000 applicants still await final immigration decisions.
- All Ukrainians receiving permits through the accelerated process already live and work in Canada.
- New applications under the family-reunification program stopped being accepted in October 2024.
- Canada launched the temporary Ukrainian immigration pathway in late October 2023.
- Immigration Minister Lena Matledge Diab met with representatives of the Ukrainian Congress of Canada.
- The Ukrainian Congress of Canada supports the measures, which it says aim to address delays by the end of 2027.
Why it matters
The accelerated processing is intended to shorten long waits and reduce uncertainty for people awaiting immigration decisions. It also seeks to clear the remaining family-reunification backlog in 2027 and fulfill earlier humanitarian commitments. The measures apply to Ukrainians and Hong Kong residents already living in Canada, not to people required to leave the country.
What happened
Canada announced additional funding and processing capacity to accelerate decisions on thousands of pending permanent-residence applications from Ukrainians and Hong Kong residents already in the country. The extra quota is intended to allow the government to process the remaining family-reunification applications in 2027, reduce waiting times and meet previously undertaken humanitarian commitments. Most of the roughly 19,000 applicants still lack final immigration decisions. Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees Minister Lena Matledge Diab met with representatives of the Ukrainian Congress of Canada to explain the changes, and the organization expressed support for the measures.
How Ukrainian sources describe it
Ukrainian-language reporting emphasizes the delays and uncertainty affecting Ukrainians awaiting decisions on their immigration status, as well as Canada's humanitarian commitments. It also highlights the Ukrainian community's meeting with Canada's immigration minister and the Ukrainian Congress of Canada's support for efforts to resolve the family-reunification backlog by the end of 2027.
Background
Canada introduced the temporary immigration pathway for Ukrainians in late October 2023, allowing applicants with close relatives in Canada to seek permanent residence. The government stopped accepting new applications in October 2024. Despite the closure, most of the roughly 19,000-person applicant group remain without final immigration decisions.