Registration opens Friday for first subsidized flights bringing Ukrainians to Canada

Photo: The Canadian Press

A plane is silhouetted as it takes off from Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, B.C., Monday, May 13, 2019. Ukrainians seeking a free commercial flight to Canada subsidized through donations of Aeroplan points will be able to register online as of Friday, but they may have to be quick as the process will initially only be open for distribution 500 plane tickets.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

Ukrainians seeking a free commercial flight to Canada subsidized through donations of Aeroplan points will be able to register online as of Friday, but they may have to be quick as initially only 500 plane tickets will be available.

Details about this first round of registration appear on the website of Miles4Migrants, the American non-profit organization that is providing the logistics for a partnership announced by the Trudeau government in April.

The program, which also involves Air Canada and Canadian charities such as the Shapiro Foundation, aims to provide free air travel to 10,000 people who have fled the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

However, only a small fraction of the goal will be eligible when registrations open Friday.

Miles4Migrants says that only Ukrainian nationals who have a residence permit for Canada, such as those under an emergency program set up by the federal government, are eligible.

According to the most recent data released by the government, 127,153 applications have been approved. The program provides temporary three-year residency in Canada to Ukrainians and their immediate family members.