The Canadian government has released an official response to Parliamentary Petition e-6866, which concerned Ukrainians and others currently in Canada under temporary humanitarian immigration programs, specifically the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel, known as CUAET.
The petition called on the government to create a separate, one-time pathway to permanent residency for people who have been legally living and working in Canada for a long time under CUAET and similar temporary programs. The petition’s authors noted that many of these people work, pay taxes, meet labor market needs, and have already integrated into Canadian communities, but are not always able to transition to PR through existing immigration programs.
Who initiated the petition
The petition was initiated by John Stadnyk from Calgary, Alberta. It was open for signatures from October 15, 2025 to February 12, 2026 and gathered 47,933 verified signatures.
The most signatures came from:
- Ontario — 15,043
- Alberta — 14,509
- British Columbia — 6,806
The Canadian Government’s Response
In a response on behalf of the Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship, Peter Fragiskatos, the Canadian government confirmed that following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the country implemented special support measures for Ukrainians.
In particular, through CUAET, Canada has provided temporary shelter to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their family members.
At the same time, the government did not explicitly announce the creation of a new separate automatic or simplified PR program for all Ukrainians under CUAET. Instead, the response states that Ukrainians who wish to remain in Canada permanently may continue to apply for permanent residence through existing immigration programs and streams.
Special Path to PR Through Family
Separately, the government reminded applicants of a special pathway to PR through family reunification for Ukrainians who have close relatives who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents.
This program was created for Ukrainians currently in Canada who have eligible family ties to Canadians or PR residents.
According to the current IRCC webpage, this pathway to permanent residence closed on October 22, 2024, but applications submitted before the program closed continue to be processed.
Those awaiting a decision under this PR program may apply for an open work permit, a study permit, or an extension of their temporary status in Canada.
What has changed as of April 1, 2026
IRCC also reports that as of April 1, 2026, special measures for Ukrainians have changed.
Individuals holding a valid open work permit issued under the public policy for Ukrainians and their family members may be eligible to extend their open work permit for up to three years.
The deadline for applying for such an extension is March 31, 2027.
What this means for Ukrainians in Canada
In fact, Canada’s position remains cautious: support for Ukrainians continues, but the government has not created a new separate PR pathway in response to the petition.
Ukrainians are encouraged to use existing immigration pathways:
- economic programs;
- family sponsorship;
- provincial programs;
- applications already opened or submitted under the special family pathway.
For many Ukrainians, this means there is currently no automatic transition from CUAET to permanent residence.
At the same time, those already in Canada can check their eligibility to renew work permits, study permits, or residency status, as well as assess the possibility of applying for PR through existing federal or provincial programs.