More than 500 Immigrant Serving Agencies across Canada are calling on the federal government to amend eligibility of federally-funded settlement program supports to include temporary residents fleeing conflict zones and refugee claimants seeking asylum.
The Canadian Immigrant Settlement Sector Alliance says Ukrainians, most likely women, children and seniors, are expected to begin arriving soon under special status as temporary residents, but displaced Ukrainians will not be eligible to access federally-funded settlement supports. That includes Adult English as an Additional Language classes, first language settlement supports, employment assistance, childcare, settlement workers in schools and other programs.
The Alliance says only permanent residents are eligible to access federally-funded settlement programs. It says depending on which province or territory displaced Ukrainians settle in, they will not have the “critical supports” they need to successfully settle in this country.
The group says immigrant settlement and integration is a shared federal—provincial responsibility and the urgency of the current situation requires immediate federal government response.
Chair Chris Friesen says Immigrant Service Agencies across Canada are ready to support displaced Ukrainians, but the Ukrainian Canadian Congress says those people, many of whom will be traumatized, will require support programs to help them transition to this country.