Immigration Minister Sean Fraser says Ukrainians who have fled to Canada from the war with Russia will start to receive income assistance from the federal government in the next five days.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced plans to offer money to newly arrived Ukrainians to help them settle in Canada in early April.
The one-time payment of $3,000 per adult and $1,500 per child will be available to Ukrainians and their family members who arrived under an emergency program that allows them to live, work and study in Canada for up to three years.
The government approved 120,668 applications under the emergency program as of May 25 and more than 35,000 Ukrainians have arrived in Canada between Jan. 1 and May 22.
Applications for the financial assistance opened today and payments are expected to be deposited directly in newcomers’ bank accounts within five days of their applications.
The applications opened just in time for the final of three government charter flights from Ukraine to arrive in Canada, carrying hundreds of Ukrainian fleeing the conflict in their country.