Moving to Canada from Ukraine: Work Permit Extensions and PR Routes

Many Ukrainians came to Canada after 2022 under special measures. For them, and for new applicants, the long-term routes are the regular economic and family programs.

The Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel (CUAET) let Ukrainians come to Canada quickly with open work permits. It no longer accepts new applications, and arrivals under it had to happen by March 31, 2024 (later for some people with late decisions).

Under a temporary public policy in effect from April 1, 2026:

• Ukrainian nationals and their family members who arrived in Canada by March 31, 2024, or by December 31, 2024 after a late CUAET decision, may apply to extend their open work permits.
• Applications must be received before March 31, 2027, when the policy expires.
• Published summaries of the policy say extensions can be valid for up to 3 years, that the usual processing fees now apply, and that delays in renewing Ukrainian passports will be taken into account. Confirm these details on IRCC's page.

Read IRCC's public policy page for the exact rules, and apply before your current permit expires so you keep maintained status. A work permit extension is not permanent residence, so plan your PR route now; most CUAET holders use the Canadian Experience Class or a PNP.

Ukraine is on IRCC's list of visa-required countries (entry requirements page updated July 31, 2026). You need a visitor visa, officially a temporary resident visa (TRV), to travel to Canada, and you can't use an eTA instead. The visa costs CAD $100 plus CAD $85 for biometrics, as of September 2026.

If IRCC approves a study permit or work permit for you, it issues the visa at the same time, so you don't file a separate visa application.

Where to give biometrics. Most applicants aged 14 to 79 give fingerprints and a photo at a visa application center (VAC). IRCC lists VACs in Ukraine in Kyiv and Lviv. If you live in another country, you can use any VAC. See our biometrics guide.

If martial law is still in force, Ukrainian rules may limit international travel for some men of military age. Check current Ukrainian government rules before you plan a move.

Processing times depend on the country you apply from and change every week. Check the processing times tool before you plan a move date.

For Ukrainians already in Canada, 1 year of skilled full-time work (TEER 0 to 3) opens the Canadian Experience Class, and a Canadian job adds CRS points through your experience. Language scores are often the biggest lever.

Express Entry covers three programs: the Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSW), the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), and the Federal Skilled Trades Program. From abroad, most people use FSW: at least 1 year of continuous skilled work (TEER 0 to 3) in the last 10 years, CLB 7 in English or French, an educational credential assessment for foreign degrees, 67 points on the FSW grid, and settlement funds (CAD $15,263 for one person in IRCC's current proof of funds table). Candidates are ranked by the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS), and job offers stopped adding CRS points on March 25, 2025. Check your score with the CRS calculator.

2026 categories and how they fit:

Between July and mid-September 2026, French draws invited 5,000 candidates each with cutoffs of 382 to 420, a health care draw cut off at 475, and CEC draws at 516 to 523. There were no STEM, education, or trades draws in that period. See 2026 Express Entry categories and the draw tracker.

Jobs in TEER 4 or 5 don't count for Express Entry, but they can count for some provincial streams and community pilots.

Canada's Prairie provinces have deep Ukrainian roots, and their nominee programs mostly select people already working there:

• Alberta selects many workers already employed in Alberta, including in lower-skilled jobs through some streams.
• Saskatchewan and Manitoba favor people with local jobs, family, or community ties.
• Atlantic Canada: the Atlantic Immigration Program accepts TEER 0 to 4 jobs with designated employers.
• Ontario: its new Ontario Workforce Priority Stream includes a TEER 4 to 5 pathway, but needs a job offer.

The 2026 In-Canada Workers Initiative also speeds up some pending PR files for workers in smaller communities.

Ukrainians applying from abroad need a study permit and, for most college and bachelor's programs, a PAL/TAL. If you are already in Canada under Ukraine measures, check IRCC's current rules for studying before you enroll.

Study permits in 2026. Canada caps new study permit applications: in 2026 IRCC accepts about 309,670 applications that need a provincial or territorial attestation letter (PAL/TAL). Most college and bachelor's students need one; master's and doctoral students at public institutions don't. You must show tuition plus living funds (CAD $23,448 for one person outside Quebec, for applications from September 1, 2026). See the study permit page and the 2026 cap.

After graduating, a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) needs CLB 7 for university graduates or CLB 5 for college graduates, and non-degree programs must be in an eligible field. Canadian study and work can add CRS points and lead to the Canadian Experience Class.

Work permits. Most foreign workers need a job offer and a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from the employer; see LMIA work permits. Low-wage LMIAs are refused in 26 of 41 metro areas for July 10 to October 8, 2026 (details). Tech employers can use the Global Talent Stream, and multinationals can use an intra-company transfer.

Working holiday: Ukraine does not appear on IRCC's 2026 list of International Experience Canada (IEC) partner countries and territories.

If your spouse or partner is a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, they can sponsor you through spousal sponsorship, which is open in 2026 and usually has no minimum income rule. Parents can also sponsor dependent children. The Parents and Grandparents Program stopped taking new interest to sponsor forms on July 15, 2026, but the Super Visa still lets parents and grandparents visit for long periods.

Language tests. IRCC accepts five tests for permanent residence: IELTS General Training, CELPIP-General, and PTE Core for English, and TEF Canada and TCF Canada for French. IELTS Academic and PTE Academic don't count for Express Entry. Results are valid for 2 years. In Ukraine, IELTS General Training is available in major cities; check the PTE Core and CELPIP-General sites for current locations. In Canada, CELPIP-General is widely available, which many Ukrainians already here use. Convert your scores with the CLB converter and read the language tests guide.

Credential assessment. If you studied outside Canada, you need an educational credential assessment (ECA) from an IRCC-designated organization, such as World Education Services (WES), for FSW eligibility and CRS points. Doctors use the Medical Council of Canada and pharmacists use the Pharmacy Examining Board of Canada. An ECA is valid for 5 years.

Police certificate. IRCC asks for a police certificate from each country where you spent 6 months or more in a row since age 18, usually after you apply for permanent residence. Ukraine's police certificate is an extract from the information and analytical system on criminal records from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In Ukraine, apply online through the ministry's service portal or the Diia app; it is free and can take up to 30 days. From abroad, apply at the nearest Ukrainian embassy, or give a representative notarized authorization to apply for you. Full details: IRCC's police certificate instructions for Ukraine. See our police certificates guide.

You will also need an immigration medical exam with an IRCC panel physician when IRCC asks for it.

Canada has one of the world's largest Ukrainian diasporas, with roots going back more than a century on the Prairies. Large communities live in Edmonton and Calgary in Alberta, Winnipeg in Manitoba, Saskatoon in Saskatchewan, and the Greater Toronto Area of Ontario. Ukrainian churches, cultural centers, and community organizations have helped many newcomers since 2022.