Federal Officials Were Advised About the Potential Consequences of Establishing a ‘Significant Precedent’ with Ukraine Visa Program
Court documents reveal that federal immigration officials cautioned against the potential undermining of the temporary immigration system due to the emergency visa program for war-displaced Ukrainians.
A memo from Immigration Department staff to Sean Fraser, the immigration minister at the time, raised this concern shortly after the program’s announcement.
These documents were made public as part of a lawsuit filed against the federal government by two Afghan Canadians, who claim that Canada discriminated against Afghan refugees compared to Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion.
The memos detail the structure of the Ukrainian visa program, which permitted an unlimited number of Ukrainians and their families to enter Canada to seek refuge during the war.
The policy also exempted fleeing Ukrainians from pledging to depart when their visas expired, contrary to the recommendations of department staff.
Mr. Fraser ultimately agreed with the department’s advice not to publicly release the policy, given the unique and exceptional nature of the approach.
Related Stories
