Ukrainians can extend their stay in the US

Ukrainians currently residing in the United States will have an opportunity to extend their residence permit with a work permit until October 19, 2023.

Unfortunately, you will not be able to apply for this program if you are currently in Ukraine (even if you already have a visa in your passport and a ticket to the United States in your pocket). To apply, you must be physically in the United States as of April 11, 2022.

The development of the program was announced in early March, but only recently the US government launched it. According to preliminary estimates, about 59,600 Ukrainians can apply for legal status in the United States for the next 1.5 years (but no longer than by October 19, 2023). By the way, please note that this is not an application for asylum, but a temporary stay in a country with an open work permit.

If you have already applied for other programs for Ukrainians (for example, CUAET by Canada), this will not be an obstacle. And if you have not yet decided on the country to apply for, let's compare the programs:

- Canada: Applying from any country, you will receive a residence and work permit for 3 years, and will be able to fly in and out of Canada as needed.
- USA: You can apply only if you are already in the USA, will be able to live and work until October 19, 2023 and, most likely, will not be able to return to Ukraine during this period with the preservation of status.

Also, the US government is expected to be more demanding of candidates than the Canadian program.