Application for provincial appointment of Ukrainian family in Winnipeg suspended for 2 years – Winnipeg
For one Ukrainian family in Winnipeg, living in Canada is a must.
Oleksandra and Roman Borys have lived in the country for two and a half years, and are still waiting to find out if their family qualifies for the provincial nomination system.
The family came to Winnipeg from the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv, and Oleksandra said the difference couldn’t be more obvious.
“It’s not really safe there right now because Russia is attacking Ukraine every day,” he said. “Every day. Every day someone dies (there), It’s like a lottery — you don’t know if you’ll be next.
“You feel good (in Winnipeg), you have all these friendly people. You feel respected and cared for by people.”
The family applied for the provincial appointment system two years ago, but their request has not been cleared. Many of their friends, who applied at the same time, were accepted.
The couple has two daughters, 9 and 18, and the youngest, Yuliana, has special needs and uses a wheelchair. Oleksandra said the education system in this country has been a revelation and one of the main reasons they hope to stay in Canada.
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“The most important thing is that he can get an education here in Canada, and he never (had) this choice in Ukraine,” he said.
Roman added that the family’s roots here are too strong to leave, even if the war ends. She feels that their daughter is supported and accepted more than ever in Ukraine.
“When we arrive in Canada, I see that all the doors, you can open them with a button. So if you are in a wheelchair, you can open any door. It is open to anyone in a wheelchair,” said Roman. “You don’t have that in Ukraine.”
A statement from the minister of immigration Malaya Marcelino calls out the situation, and says that he has instructed his staff to look into the long delay “which seems to be beyond the normal processing times.” The province says they aim to process applications within months, but it often takes longer.
Cuts to the Provincial Nominee Program could mean challenges for those looking to immigrate to Manitoba, as well as certain labor markets, a Winnipeg immigration lawyer says.
“There is no easy solution to this,” Alastair Clarke of Clarke Immigration Law told Global Winnipeg.
“In our work we do a lot of trying to manage people’s expectations and trying to deal with high levels of anxiety and depression. People are very frustrated.”
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