For one Ukrainian family in Winnipeg, staying in Canada is a must.
Oleksandra and Roman Borys have been in country for two-and-a-half years, and and are still waiting to find out if their family qualifies for the provincial nominee program.
The family came to Winnipeg from Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and Oleksandra said the contrast couldn’t be more stark.
“It is really unsafe there right now because Russia shells Ukraine every day,” she said. “Every single day. Every day someone dies (there), It’s like a lottery — you never know whether you will be the next one.
“You feel nice (in Winnipeg), with all these friendly people. You feel respected and cared for by people.”
The family applied for the provincial nominee program two years ago, but their application is still in limbo. Many of their friends, who applied around the same time, have been approved.
The couple have 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’re hoping to remain in Canada.
“The most important thing that she can get some education here in Canada, and she had never (had) this choice in Ukraine,” she said.
Roman added the roots the family has put down here are too strong to leave, even if the war were to end. He feels their daughter is more supported and accepted than she ever was back in Ukraine.
“When we came to Canada, I see that all doors, you can open with a button. So if you’re in a wheelchair, you can open any door. It’s open for anyone who is in a wheelchair,” said Roman. “You don’t have that in Ukraine.”
A statement from immigration minister Malaya Marcelino calls the situation concerning, and says she’s directed her staff to look into lengthy delays “which appear to be an outlier beyond standard 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 ahead for prospective immigrants to Manitoba, as well as certain labour markets, a Winnipeg immigration lawyer says.
“There’s no easy solution to this,” Alastair Clarke of Clarke Immigration Law told Global Winnipeg.
“Within our work, a lot of what we do is try to manage people’s expectations and try to deal with high levels of anxiety and depression. People are very frustrated.”