Canada says ‘no limit’ to Ukrainian applications for residency

Canada stated Thursday that it would expedite Ukrainian applications for both temporary and permanent resident status, with full access to work and education programmes, as well as family reunion applications, in an unprecedented move.

Also read: Explained: What role does religion play in the Russia-Ukraine conflict?

“Canada is ready to welcome Ukrainians fleeing Vladimir Putin’s war, and there is no limit to the number of applications that we are going to be willing to accept,” Sean Fraser, Canada’s immigration minister, stated at a news conference in Ottawa.

Canada has 1.4 million Ukrainian-born residents, making it the world’s second-largest Ukrainian diaspora after Russia. Tens of thousands of Ukrainians worked as farmers in the country’s west. Their church spires can still be seen in rural areas and major cities. Ukrainian descent is represented by prominent community leaders and politicians, notably Canada’s deputy prime minister, Chrystia Freeland.

Also read: Quad leaders agree to prevent Ukraine-like situation in Indo-Pacific

She says she is happy of Ukrainians and how they are opposing Russia’s onslaught, but has a frightening prediction for what lies ahead for them.

“There is every reason to believe it is going to get worse, and a lot more people are going to die and we as Canadians need to brace ourselves for that. It’s already been a bloodbath, I think it’s going to be become more of a bloodbath,” said Freeland, according to whom Russian soldiers fighting against their will are also fatalities of this battle.

Also read: Roscosmos axes joint ISS experiments with Germany in response to sanctions

Canada has also stated that it will suspend Russia’s and Belarus‘s “most-favored nation” status. This means that imports from those countries will now be subject to a 35 percent levy. Canada, according to Freeland, was one of the first to take that action, and she urged allies to follow suit.

Canada has recently announced the shipment of additional lethal military supplies to Ukraine, including rocket launchers.