A week after the start of the Russian invasion, the Canadian Department of Immigration has very little to offer Ukrainians who wish to come to the country, note actors and experts in the immigration community. Despite the promise of priority processing of their files, the Ukrainians will have a lot to do to escape the war.
Since the first day of Russia’s assault on Ukraine, Marina Negrivoda’s phone has been ringing. “I receive 15 to 20 calls, emails or messages a day,” says this Montreal immigration consultant. Ukrainians who want to know how to immigrate to Canada, Ukrainians here who want to know how to bring their family… “I try to help people and explain to them how it works. »
She notes that there is some confusion about the immigration measures announced by Ottawa and the possibilities of immigration. “There is a lot of misinformation. Some people believed that it was enough to go to the Canadian embassy in Poland to be admitted as refugees. Others mistakenly believed that the Canadian government would evacuate them. “I had to explain to them that it didn’t work that way. »
Although it says it is considering other solutions, the federal government has not yet announced a special program to welcome refugees, as during the Afghan crisis last August. Rather, he referred to a series of measures aimed essentially at strengthening consular resources to give priority to requests from Ukrainians and at simplifying the procedure, not by lifting the requirement to provide certain documents, but by abolishing certain fees. and facilitating online exchanges.
“A lot of people call me because their child or their baby doesn’t have a passport, or the visa has expired… What to do? Canada says it will issue travel documents, but it has not given more specific instructions,” notes Marina Negrivoda.
Few options
For Christina Clark-Kazak, a professor at the University of Ottawa and a specialist in refugee policies, the federal government has remained in reserve. “He made immediate political gestures, but there are no special programs or big measures,” she said. “Very little has changed, except for this phone number and the keyword to indicate on the web portal that this is a request from Ukraine. »
She recalls that the visa requirement has still not been lifted, despite repeated requests from several civil and political organisations, including the Conservative Party. “The government does not want to create a precedent,” she believes. She nevertheless believes that it should “do more and react more flexibly, precisely because these are contexts of conflict. »
Because the visa requires documents practically impossible to obtain in times of war, such as birth and civil status certificates or even employment or bank certificates. Biometric fingerprinting is also compulsory and can only be done in certain consular offices, which means leaving the country.
“I tell people to try to apply for a visa anyway, even if they don’t have all the necessary documents with the translation. By explaining the situation well, we hope that the immigration officer will understand, ”says Marina Negrivoda, indicating however that she has no guarantees.
According to the president of the Quebec Association of Immigration Lawyers (AQAADI), replacing the visa requirement with the issuance of an Electronic Travel Authorization (AVE) would allow Ukrainians to be quickly safe . “There is an urgent need to get people out of there, and Poland cannot absorb everything. Here, there is a large Ukrainian community which could welcome its relatives while waiting to see what is happening there, ”says M.and Stephanie Valois.
Between Montreal and Kiev
This is what Montrealer Maria-Alexandra Rudenko wishes wholeheartedly, who worries for her family who remained in Kiev. “Of course I would like that, to bring them here,” said the student in her twenties who came to Canada four years ago as a permanent resident. “These are the people who are dearest to me. »
Her parents and her sister had obtained permanent residence at the same time as her, but for various reasons, they had not been able to come. His father, who worked as an engineer abroad, speaks several languages, including French. Today, Maria-Alexandra regrets that they did not take the plane at the same time as her. “I feel guilty for being here,” she blurts out, her voice cracking.
She, who was due to return to Ukraine in August, knows that the dream of having her family with her is not realistic at the moment. “My father and my sister’s husband are under 60, so even if they could get out of Kyiv, they wouldn’t be allowed to cross the border, because all civilians their age have to join the armed forces,” says she.
According to Marina Negrivoda, it is not possible for a permanent resident to sponsor his parents, since the program is currently not open. However, it is permitted for a resident to sponsor his de facto spouse or his children. “But you have to do a medical examination and all the papers, and that requires leaving the country. Technically, it’s difficult to do all that for a Ukrainian,” she observes, adding that it involves delays. ” [Le gouvernement] says it’s going to be given priority, but it’s not written anywhere. You have to have confidence. »