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CBC
04-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Steep international tuition fees may prevent Ukrainian teen refugee from attending university
B.C. has become home for 18-year-old Hanna Ushkanova. She fled war in Ukraine three years ago and was living in a refugee camp in Greece when she was connected with a Chilliwack family, who took her in as their own. "They gave me a place, and they gave me so much love and support," said Ushaknova. Her dream is to build a life in B.C., pursuing a career in medical research. But in the face of high international tuition fees, she is fighting to attend the University of British Columbia this fall. Ushkanova has been accepted to study sciences at the university. She says she wants to work in the medical field, specifically doing cell research to help find cures for diseases. Gord Robertson and Julie Veer, who Ushkanova refers to as her Canadian mom and dad, say they would like to continue supporting Ushkanova financially but are unable to afford high international tuition rates—which range from around $40,000 to $60,000 a year depending on the program. Ushkanova's parents in Ukraine are also unable to help with tuition. She says they are struggling to make ends meet amidst the war. WATCH | Ukrainian student in B.C. faces tuition spike: Change to B.C. university tuition rule leaves Ukrainian student in limbo 1 day ago Duration 2:05 A young Ukrainian refugee has built a life in B.C. after fleeing the war. She hopes to pursue a career in medical research, but steep international tuition fees may prevent her from attending university. As CBC's Michelle Gomez reports, the foreign student is hoping officials will make an exception for those in her position. According to UBC's policy, the university offers domestic tuition rates for people with refugee status. However, those who fled the war in Ukraine are not considered refugees by the Canadian government. In 2022, the province temporarily mandated that universities offer domestic tuition rates to Ukrainian students entering under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel visa (CUAET). But the University of British Columbia has ended that policy, noting its last intake offering domestic rates to CUAET visa holders was in September 2023. "The war is still going. . . we are still in the same situation," said Ushkanova, "I don't think it's fair for Ukrainians." The family says they have reached out to UBC as well as the province but haven't heard back yet. UBC said in a statement to CBC that it is aware the federal government recently extended the deadline for Ukrainian refugees to apply for a new study permit and will review possible implications in the days ahead. "We can certainly understand the end of the CUAET program is concerning for prospective Ukrainian students," said a statement from UBC. "We strongly encourage any affected prospective students to research and apply for scholarships that can help them." The B.C. Ministry of Post Secondary Education said in a statement that universities may have options for financial assistance on a case-by-case basis but did not respond to specific questions about Ushkanova's case. Ushkanova says she knows there are other young Ukrainians completing high school in B.C. and hopes the university will make an exception for those in her position. 'This place is my home' When the war first broke out in Ukraine, Robertson and Veer's 14-year-old daughter, Amelie, knew she wanted to do something. "Amelie came to us and said I want to help," said Robertson. "Help them get settled in Canada, away from the war." After doing some research, Amelie found a volunteer organization that connected her with Ushkanova, who joined the family in Canada in February 2023. Since arriving, Ushkanova and Amelie say they have become like sisters. And Roberson says Ushkanova has thrived in school, earning a grade average in the high 90s and participating in extracurricular activities. There are other universities in Canada that still offer domestic tuition to Ukrainian refugees, such as the University of Alberta. But for Ushkanova, moving would mean no support system. "I feel like this place is my home now," she said. Robertson said that after everything Ushkanova has been through at a young age, uprooting her life would be tough. "If she stays in B.C., we're here to support her. We'll continue to be right by her side through everything," said Robertson. He said moving abroad was not a choice for many young Ukrainians like Ushkanova, but a survival move. "They're not like a regular international student who's coming from perhaps a position of wealth, so it's impossible for them," he said. Ushkanova hopes to continue her education beyond an undergraduate degree, eventually pursuing a master's or PhD. She also wants to become a Canadian citizen. She says she wants to be an example to other young Ukrainians, showing that they can rise above challenges and pursue their dreams. But without guaranteed access to education close to home in the fall, she says this future remains uncertain.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukrainian emigres face uncertain future in Manitoba on anniversary of invasion
Nearly 30,000 Ukrainians have settled in Manitoba since Russia's full-scale invasion of their country in February 2022. Now, challenges with their documents and hurdles in the permanent residency process have many of the newcomers anxious about their future in Canada. Leonid Isakov, 29, and his wife, Tetiana Isakova, 32, say they try to book an appointment online with the Consulate General of Ukraine in Toronto, but automated messages repeatedly tell them the bookings are full. The couple's calls to the consulate also go unanswered. They need an appointment to renew Leonid's passport, which expires next Decemberr. Without it, he can't extend his open work permit to live and continue working as a heavy-duty mechanic. "I need live here, because if I no live here, I come back Ukraine, and I dead," Leonid told CBC News at his home in Carman, a community about 60 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg. Leonid Isakov and his wife Tetiana Isakova are anxious to have Leonid's passport renewed, so he can apply for an open work permit extension to stay in Canada. (Rudi Pawlychyn/CBC) The couple and their eight-year-old son, Mark, have called the town home for nearly two years. "We want to stay, because in Ukraine … not safe now. Not safe for us, for my son," Tetiana said, adding they're nervous about their future. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress of Manitoba (UCCM) says many Ukrainian newcomers are dealing with a host of paperwork problems, including expiring passports — especially men of military age from 18 to 60 years old. Newcomers who arrived in Manitoba under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program have until March 31 to apply for study visas or work permit extensions. Ukrainian men can't get their passports renewed in Canada unless they're registered with the Ukrainian military through an app called Rezerv+, the UCCM's Ostap Skrypnyk said Thursday. "Some people are having difficulty accessing [the app] … [and] some people are worried that if they do register, they'll get a draft notice so they're caught in a little bit of a situation that they can't get consular services from the Ukrainian government until they have that." Leonid feard renewing his Ukrainian passport because men of military age are prohibited from leaving the country. "We [are] stuck in this situation," Tetiana said. Ostap Skrypnyk with the Ukrainian Canadian Congress of Manitoba says many Ukrainian newcomers — especially men of military age from 18 to 60 years old — are dealing with a host of paperwork problems, including expiring passports. (Rudi Pawlychyn/CBC) Last month, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said that while he would not force Ukrainian newcomers to go back to a war zone, he did not agree to the UCCM's call to automatically renew their emergency visas. Instead, he said, they must apply for student visas or work permits if they are interested in staying longer as temporary residents. Skrypnyk says he's optimistic Ukrainian newcomers won't have to leave Canada if they don't want to. WATCH | Ukrainian newcomers face hurdles in the permanent residency process: "We met with Minister Miller, the immigration minister, a couple of weeks ago when he was in Winnipeg, and I think they're willing to look at solutions within the law or within the regulations to have some understanding of people [who] have these little timing hiccups." Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has told CBC News it might consider exemptions to the passport requirement under exceptional circumstances, but applicants must explain why. Reduction in provincial nominee slots Last year, Leonid and Tetiana filed an expression of interest with the Manitoba provincial nominee program (MPNP), which offers a pathway to permanent residency, but they say they have yet to get a response. Yuliaa Venhryniuk, 26, is also waiting in the applicant pool. The lawyer arrived in Winnipeg in 2023, and got a job at a laundry company before landing one in her field as a legal assistant. Applicants have to have worked full-time for an employer in Manitoba for at least six consecutive months to be eligible for the nominee program. The province periodically chooses from people who've expressed interest, who are then invited to apply to the program. The draws are not random but determined using a ranking scale, with points awarded for a range of factors. Venhryniuk changed jobs before the six-month mark and says she missed her opportunity under the last Ukrainian newcomer draw last year, despite now having a high score. Getting her legal education recognized in Canada through further studies would be more affordable and easier as a permanent resident, she said. "It's worrying me, because … you want to make some plans for [the] future, right?" Venhryniuk said. Yuliia Venhryniuk says she hopes she's accepted into Manitoba's provincial nominee program, which will help her get permanent residency. (Submitted by Yuliia Venhryniuk) Many Ukrainian newcomers in Manitoba will find the nominee program even harder to get into due to a federal reduction in nominee slots, Skrypnyksaysd. Manitoba is only getting 4,750 slots through the program in 2025, which is half the number it received last year. Manitoba continues to negotiate with Ottawa about its allocations, a spokesperson for provincial Immigration Minister Malaya Marcelino said in an emailed statement on Friday. "It's adding to the anxiety, on top of which then they also have to worry about what's going on in Ukraine, right?" Skrypnyk said. Leonid Isakov, his wife Tetiana Isakova and their eight-year-old son, Mark, play a game of Jenga at their home in Carman, Manitoba. They've called the town home for nearly two years. (Rudi Pawlychyn/CBC) As for Leonid, he says he'll go to the Ukrainian consulate in Toronto without an appointment to resolve his passport woes if it comes to that. Asked what he would do if that doesn't work, he replied solemnly: "I don't know."
CBC
24-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Ukrainian emigres face uncertain future in Manitoba on anniversary of invasion
Social Sharing Nearly 30,000 Ukrainians have settled in Manitoba since Russia's full-scale invasion of their country in February 2022. Now, challenges with their documents and hurdles in the permanent residency process have many of the newcomers anxious about their future in Canada. Leonid Isakov, 29, and his wife, Tetiana Isakova, 32, say they try to book an appointment online with the Consulate General of Ukraine in Toronto, but automated messages repeatedly tell them the bookings are full. The couple's calls to the consulate also go unanswered. They need an appointment to renew Leonid's passport, which expires next Decemberr. Without it, he can't extend his open work permit to live and continue working as a heavy-duty mechanic. "I need live here, because if I no live here, I come back Ukraine, and I dead," Leonid told CBC News at his home in Carman, a community about 60 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg. The couple and their eight-year-old son, Mark, have called the town home for nearly two years. "We want to stay, because in Ukraine … not safe now. Not safe for us, for my son," Tetiana said, adding they're nervous about their future. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress of Manitoba (UCCM) says many Ukrainian newcomers are dealing with a host of paperwork problems, including expiring passports — especially men of military age from 18 to 60 years old. Newcomers who arrived in Manitoba under the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program have until March 31 to apply for study visas or work permit extensions. Ukrainian men can't get their passports renewed in Canada unless they're registered with the Ukrainian military through an app called Rezerv+, the UCCM's Ostap Skrypnyk said Thursday. "Some people are having difficulty accessing [the app] … [and] some people are worried that if they do register, they'll get a draft notice so they're caught in a little bit of a situation that they can't get consular services from the Ukrainian government until they have that." Leonid feard renewing his Ukrainian passport because men of military age are prohibited from leaving the country. "We [are] stuck in this situation," Tetiana said. Last month, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said that while he would not force Ukrainian newcomers to go back to a war zone, he did not agree to the UCCM's call to automatically renew their emergency visas. Instead, he said, they must apply for student visas or work permits if they are interested in staying longer as temporary residents. Skrypnyk says he's optimistic Ukrainian newcomers won't have to leave Canada if they don't want to. WATCH | Ukrainian newcomers face hurdles in the permanent residency process: "We met with Minister Miller, the immigration minister, a couple of weeks ago when he was in Winnipeg, and I think they're willing to look at solutions within the law or within the regulations to have some understanding of people [who] have these little timing hiccups." Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has told CBC News it might consider exemptions to the passport requirement under exceptional circumstances, but applicants must explain why. Reduction in provincial nominee slots Last year, Leonid and Tetiana filed an expression of interest with the Manitoba provincial nominee program (MPNP), which offers a pathway to permanent residency, but they say they have yet to get a response. Yuliaa Venhryniuk, 26, is also waiting in the applicant pool. The lawyer arrived in Winnipeg in 2023, and got a job at a laundry company before landing one in her field as a legal assistant. Applicants have to have worked full-time for an employer in Manitoba for at least six consecutive months to be eligible for the nominee program. The province periodically chooses from people who've expressed interest, who are then invited to apply to the program. The draws are not random but determined using a ranking scale, with points awarded for a range of factors. Venhryniuk changed jobs before the six-month mark and says she missed her opportunity under the last Ukrainian newcomer draw last year, despite now having a high score. Getting her legal education recognized in Canada through further studies would be more affordable and easier as a permanent resident, she said. "It's worrying me, because … you want to make some plans for [the] future, right?" Venhryniuk said. Many Ukrainian newcomers in Manitoba will find the nominee program even harder to get into due to a federal reduction in nominee slots, Skrypnyksaysd. Manitoba is only getting 4,750 slots through the program in 2025, which is half the number it received last year. Manitoba continues to negotiate with Ottawa about its allocations, a spokesperson for provincial Immigration Minister Malaya Marcelino said in an emailed statement on Friday. "It's adding to the anxiety, on top of which then they also have to worry about what's going on in Ukraine, right?" Skrypnyk said. As for Leonid, he says he'll go to the Ukrainian consulate in Toronto without an appointment to resolve his passport woes if it comes to that. Asked what he would do if that doesn't work, he replied solemnly: "I don't know."
CBC
18-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Ukrainian newcomers struggle to renew passports amidst looming visa deadline
Social Sharing Ihor and Olena Politylo have made Richmond, B.C., their home since 2022, after fleeing Ukraine when war broke out. Ihor works as a building maintenance technician, and Olena as a legal assistant. The married couple's four-year-old daughter is set to start kindergarten in September. But a deadline for Ukrainians to renew their Canadian visas is approaching and Ihor's Ukrainian passport, which is required to be valid for the duration of the new visa, is set to expire next year. It's making their future in Canada uncertain. "Canada is our second home now," Ihor said. He is one of many Ukrainians abroad — especially Ukrainian men of military age — who are struggling to get their passports for Ukraine renewed. WATCH | Ukrainian newcomers say passport renewal may not be possible in time for deadline: Ukrainian newcomers face uncertainty as emergency visas near expiration 20 hours ago Duration 2:35 Ukrainians who fled to Canada under temporary emergency visas are facing uncertainty as their permits expire next month. To stay in Canada, they must apply for a work permit extension or a student visa. But delays in consular services from Ukraine could put those extensions at risk. Pinki Wong reports. When the war broke out in 2022, the government of Canada offered Ukrainian nationals temporary refuge through the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program, until March 31, 2025. Now, these Ukrainians must apply for an extension to a working permit or a student visa by the end of March in order to stay longer in Canada as temporary residents. Applicants need a passport that's valid for the duration of the visa extension. Ihor's Ukrainian passport expires too soon, in March 2026. The Embassy of Ukraine in Canada said in a statement to CBC News that Ukrainian men of military age (18-60) can renew their passports at a diplomatic mission — provided they update their required military registration data through the government app Rezerv+. But that hasn't worked for Ihor. When he tries to register his information in the app, it tells him to report to a military office in Ukraine — something he doesn't want to do. If he returned to Ukraine to renew his passport, he would be subject to being conscripted and may not be allowed to leave the country and come back to Canada. Ihor said he is hearing from family back in Ukraine that there are still frequent air attacks near their home, and he doesn't want his daughter, who was only two when they left, to experience that. "She does not know what war means and we want it to stay like that," Ihor said. "She's growing here, she's used to this country." He hasn't been unable to make an appointment at the nearest Ukrainian consulate, which he said is in Edmonton, but is travelling there next week without a meeting to try to get someone to see him. Widespread issue Maria Valenta, a Canadian immigration consultant with Immigration Advising Canada based out of Toronto, said she has over 400 Ukrainian clients who are in a similar situation. Valenta said many Ukrainians got a new passport around 2015 when the country first introduced its biometric passport. This means that now, ten years later, their passports are expiring within the next year. "Most of these people went through so much hardship to try and find a safe place," Valenta said. "A lot of them are facing this new major anxiety that they will not be able to extend their permits, provide for their families." And she said even Ukrainians who are not military-age men are having difficulty extending their passports. Valenta said while the March renewal deadline approaches, her clients who have managed to get an appointment with a Ukrainian consulate or embassy are booked for August at the earliest. "Right now the embassies are so overloaded, even women cannot apply to extend their passports," she said. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) said in a statement to CBC News that immigration officers may consider exemptions to the passport requirement under exceptional circumstances on a case-by-case basis — with the onus on the applicant to provide an explanation. But Valenta said whether an exemption is granted is at the discretion of the officer reviewing the file, and applicants are often denied. Blanket extension of emergency visa The Ukrainian Canadian Congress has called for an automatic three-year extension for all Ukrainians under CUAET. But in January, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said the IRCC will not implement a blanket extension. He said while he would not force Ukrainians to go back to a war zone, the 300,000 who arrived under CUAET would have to apply to stay. WATCH | Ukrainian Canadian Congress calls on feds to extend programs: Canada urged to extend work, language programs for Ukrainians 7 days ago Duration 2:01 The Ukrainian Canadian Congress is urging the federal government to extend a program providing free work visas and language classes that's set to end March 31. The government says it's not looking to send anyone back to Ukraine if their visas expire, but has said it won't implement a blanket extension. Ihor and Olena said they have several friends in a similar situation as themselves, and hope the Canadian government will change its policy. "We are asking [the Canadian government] to provide us some confidence in our future. We are okay to stay here working, but also we want to find a way to build our life," Ihor said. Olena, who has a master's degree in law, added that they are contributing members of society.
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
They welcomed Canada's open arms. Now Ukrainians worry about future as Russian invasion's 3rd-year mark nears
Nearly three years since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, some Ukrainians in southwestern Ontario say they're feeling uneasy about the future and whether they'll be able to remain in Canada as the war continues. Close to 300,000 Ukrainians arrived in Canada after Feb. 24, 2022. Ottawa offered them temporary resident status through the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) program, until March 31. In January, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Ukrainians must apply for an open work or study permit extension to stay in Canada as temporary residents. Although Miller has said he wouldn't force Ukrainians to return to a war zone after their visas expire, Alla Shevchuk, a Ukrainian now living in Stratroy, Ont., said community members remain worried. "Of course we're very stressed about it because we don't know what will happen the next day, next month or next year," Shevchuk said. Alla Shevchuk moved from Ukraine to Strathroy through the Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel program. It concludes at the end of March, but Shevchuk successfully applied for a work permit extension until 2027. (Submitted by Alla Shevchuk) Shevchuk, who settled in Canada in 2022 before opening a pierogi business, applied for an open work permit extension in early 2024 when the Canadian government offered them without any fees. After four months of waiting, she was granted an extension until 2027. Olena Riznyk said the deadline to apply for a work permit extension crept up on her. While she can stay in Canada until 2027, she's already thinking about the future. "Time just flies," said Riznyk, who also lives in Strathroy. "I have two more years, but it makes me a little bit worried and unstable because it goes so fast and we need to think about our permanent residence or what to do next." Counsellor suggests applying now for new work permits Some Ukrainians are trying to extend their temporary stays as long as possible, said a settlement counsellor at the Cross Cultural Learner Centre in London, Ont.. "Many people are trying to do it at the end of March so their new work permits will be longer because the new end date will be [3 years from] the day when the decision is made by the officer," said Galyna Volkova, who specifically works with Ukrainian newcomers. Olena Riznyk and her family, daughter Polina and husband Viacheslav, settled in Canada in May 2022 after leaving Ukraine. (Submitted by Olena Riznyk) She said she has been helping at least four people a day with their open work permit extension applications, a number that's more than usual as people aim for extensions through March 2028. "I think it's a mistake," she said. "They should do it now." Volkova said Ukrainians who don't successfully submit extension applications by March 31 will need to go through regular work permit channels, a more complicated process, to stay in Canada. She said most people who apply for an open work permit extension are approved so long as they pay $255 in fees and meet all the requirements. "There's no worries because it will be extended ... but you know what they're nervous about after this? After three years, it will expire," Volkova said. "Then what will be next?" Volkova said she doesn't expect Ukrainians will be able to extend their permits again, and has met some people looking for alternative options. Almost all Ukrainians are working for minimum wage. They have to pay rent and they have to support themselves and their family back in Ukraine who need help as well. - Olena Riznyk, Ukrainian living in Strathroy, Ont. Some Ukrainian families have already sought out permanent solutions for their future. Mykola Bilovol and his family became permanent Canadian residents in 2024 after two years of adjusting to the lifestyle here and opening a bakery. Mykola and Iryna Bilovol moved to Strathroy, Ont. in 2022 after leaving Ukraine. Now, they own Bakery, a dream they had in Ukraine but only realized when they were forced to leave their country. (Submitted by Mykola Bilovol) "All of us understand that Canada has done an incredible amount of good things for Ukrainians and we will always be grateful for their support," said Bilovol. However, applying for permanent residency isn't accessible for everyone, said Riznyk. "It's quite expensive," she said, adding people who do not understand English or the application process may have to pay to use an immigration lawyer. "Almost all Ukrainians are working for minimum wage. They have to pay rent and they have to support themselves and their family back in Ukraine who need help as well." Bilovol recommends Ukrainians explore several options to stay in Canada, such as sponsorships or other permanent residency immigration programs. "My advice would be not to delay researching these available opportunities. Be prepared to put in the effort to build a future here."
