Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has acknowledged complaints of privileged treatment of Ukrainian refugees compared to Afghans, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. “There is a perception of unfairness regarding the treatment of the Ukrainian population compared to other global humanitarian situations,” said IRCC in a report. IRCC said criticism of Ukrainian aid was a privileged initiative for white people compared to treatment of Afghans following the collapse of Kabul. “When discussing the nuances around inequitable treatment, comparisons were often made to other global populations in need of humanitarian assistance,” it said. “Interviewees felt there was an inequitable response in comparison with the Afghan movement, which was also a priority for the Department of Immigration at the time.”Ukraine War refugees were offered free visas, free flights to Canada, free work permits, grants up to $3,000 per adult and $1,500 per child, free health insurance, free access to public schooling and social assistance and two weeks’ worth of free accommodation at hotels in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Halifax and St. John’s, NL. It said the cost of cash grants alone totalled $490.7 million. One million Ukrainians applied for free settlement in Canada. It noted many Ukrainians were exempt from mandatory fingerprinting and other security checks. “Due to the high demand of Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel measures, there was an overwhelming demand for biometrics appointments,” it said. “Canada’s overseas service delivery network was unable to keep up.”IRCC waived mandatory checks on children under 17 years old, adults over 61, or any Ukrainian who had successfully applied for a Canadian visitor visa in the past ten years. Also, it exempted all Ukrainians from stating when they would leave Canada.“This may set precedents for future crisis responses,” it said. Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) said in January financial assistance to Ukrainian refugees will cost almost $500 million. READ MORE: Employment Canada says Ukrainian refugee grants to cost $491 million“Ukrainians arriving in Canada can apply to receive transitional financial assistance,” said ESDC. “These funds will help Ukrainian nationals and their family members meet their basic needs such as transportation and longer term housing as they arrive in communities across Canada and find a job.”
