Alexandra Calinan of Mamann Sandaluk was interviewed about the Canadian government’s efforts to expedite immigration applications for Ukrainian nationals displaced by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
During the interview, Alexandra explained how a dedicated federal hotline was established to assist applicants with urgent, pending immigration files, allowing individuals to make inquiries and helping Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada prioritize cases requiring immediate attention.
Exemption from administrative requirements is necessary to allow for urgent processing of applications
She also discussed the importance of reducing administrative barriers to ensure that Ukrainians could travel to Canada as quickly as possible. Among the measures highlighted was the temporary waiver of biometric requirements in circumstances where applicants could not provide fingerprints or photographs because visa application centres and processing facilities in Ukraine had closed as a result of the invasion.
Alexandra’s commentary provides valuable insight into Canada’s emergency immigration response and the practical steps taken to help displaced Ukrainians reach safety while maintaining the integrity of the immigration system.