Effective July 1, 2024, the Canada-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (CUFTA) now includes provisions for the temporary entry of business persons.

Chapter 21: Temporary Entry for Business Persons of the CUFTA facilitates temporary entry to Canada for certain categories of business persons who hold citizenship in, or are permanent residents of, Ukraine.

The four categories of business persons under this treaty are business visitors, professionals, intra-corporate transferees and investors. The latter three are work permit categories.

New Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) guidelines have been issued to assist officers assessing these applications.

How this change may affect you and your business

CUFTA contains options for Ukrainian skilled workers coming to Canada to work. These new provisions provide additional options in accessing talent and growing the labour pool for Canadian business. CUFTA also facilitates entry options for Ukrainian businesses or investors to set up operations in Canada.

Furthermore, CUFTA may provide new work permit options for some Ukrainians who are already in Canada under a Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) open work permit. Obtaining an employer-specific work permit can provide some candidates with more Express Entry points under the "arranged employment" factor, which may help them obtain PR status in Canada.

Learn more about Gowling WLG's Immigration Group

Immigration legislation and practices continue to change frequently. Our Immigration Group would be pleased to help with any questions you may have about immigration into Canada or the U.S. To find out more about our group, reach out to a member of our team and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates.