Connecting fleeing Ukrainians with Canadian community support could prove difficult

OTTAWA — The Ukrainian Canadian Congress says it’s concerned about the plan to support those fleeing to Canada from Ukraine because there is no plan to effectively track them once they arrive.

The federal government is expected to release more details today about the plan to settle an unlimited number of Ukrainian nationals and their families in Canada.

The government opened applications on March 17 to allow those fleeing the attack by Russia to come to Canada for three years on a visitor visa while they decide whether to return home or apply for permanent residency.

Nearly 60,000 Ukrainians and their families have applied to the program so far, and they could start arriving as early as next week.

The congress’s national executive director Ihor Michalchyshyn says as far as he knows, the government has not created a registry of people to connect them with sponsors or community support in Canada.

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser tweeted Monday that the federal settlement plan will offer “key services” like language training, orientation and help to find a job.