Renting in Canada as a Newcomer from Ukraine
Over 298,000 Ukrainians had arrived in Canada under the CUAET emergency travel program by April 2024, joining one of the country's oldest and largest diaspora communities. Here's what to know before you rent.
CUAET arrivals by Apr 2024
298,128
of 962,612 approved, IRCC
Key document
CUAET open work permit
distinguishes this pathway
UAH / CAD
~31.98
September 2026, wartime volatility
Section 1
CUAET is a temporary emergency pathway, separate from permanent residence
The Canada-Ukraine Authorization for Emergency Travel (CUAET) had approved 962,612 applications and seen 298,128 arrivals by April 2024. This is a temporary status program, distinct from Canada's separate permanent residence admissions for Ukraine (1,710 people in 2024). If you're on a CUAET open work permit, your immigration documentation looks different from a typical work permit or COPR, so keep it on hand for your rental application.
Canada also has one of the world's oldest and largest Ukrainian diaspora communities outside Ukraine itself, dating back to bloc settlement in the Prairies starting in the 1890s.
Section 2
No Canadian credit history? Here's how to still qualify
Building a rental application without Canadian credit history comes down to documentation:
- 1Bring your CUAET open work permit (or other immigration status document) plus a translated employment letter if you're working.
- 2Bring bank statements showing income or savings, if available.
- 3Offer a guarantor or co-signer if you have a Canadian contact who can vouch financially.
- 4Offer a larger security deposit where the province allows it.
Section 3
Documents to bring
CUAET permit or other status document
Your CUAET open work permit, permanent resident documentation, or other IRCC status document, plus Canadian ID once issued.
Employment letter
A translated employment letter confirming role, tenure, and salary, if you're employed.
Bank statements
Statements showing income or savings history, where available.
Landlord reference
A reference letter from a previous landlord, translated if needed.
Section 4
Where Ukrainian newcomers tend to settle
Bloor West Village, Toronto
"Little Ukraine" since the 1950s
Canada's most distinctly branded Ukrainian-Canadian district, with Ukrainian shops, churches, and cultural institutions along Bloor Street West.
118 Avenue business cluster, Edmonton
Historic heart of Ukrainian Canada
Alberta has been the historic centre of Ukrainian settlement in Canada since bloc settlement began in the 1890s. Edmonton's 118 Avenue has an active Ukrainian-Canadian business cluster, though it isn't formally branded as a single named district the way Bloor West Village is.
Calgary and Vancouver both have Ukrainian community organizations, but no single verified neighbourhood-level concentration in either city.
Section 5
Converting your budget to Canadian dollars
As of September 2026, 1 Canadian dollar is worth approximately 31.98 Ukrainian hryvnia (mid-market spot rate, XE.com). The hryvnia has experienced wartime volatility, so treat this figure as a starting point only and check a live converter close to when you actually need it.
Section 6
Setting up Canadian banking
Canada's major banks all run newcomer programs that waive fees and don't require Canadian credit history to open an account:
Scotia StartRight
Newcomer chequing account with no monthly fee for the first year, plus a credit card option with no credit history required.
RBC Newcomer
Banking package for newcomers to Canada, including a no-history credit card for eligible permanent residents and work/study permit holders.
BMO NewStart
Newcomer banking program with fee waivers and credit-building tools for the first year in Canada.
Section 7
Tenant rights where you're likely to land
Tenancy law in Canada is set provincially, not federally. Here's what applies in the provinces Ukrainian newcomers most often move to:
Calgary, AB
Residential Tenancies Act (RTA)
No rent control: landlords can raise rent by any amount with proper notice, but only once every 365 days. Security deposits are capped at one month's rent. Disputes go to the RTDRS.
Edmonton, AB
Residential Tenancies Act (RTA)
Same Alberta-wide rules as Calgary: no rent control, one rent increase per 365 days, deposit capped at one month's rent, disputes go to the RTDRS.
Toronto, ON
Residential Tenancies Act, 2006
Rent control applies to units built before November 2018 (annual guideline increase). No damage deposit is allowed, only last month's rent, which the landlord must pay annual interest on. Disputes go to the LTB.
Vancouver, BC
Residential Tenancy Act
Rent increases are capped by an annual government-set percentage. Security deposit capped at half a month's rent, plus a separate pet deposit of up to half a month's rent. Disputes go to the RTB.
Section 8
Apply faster with SQRFT Passport
Build your verified rental identity once (employment, income, references), then share it with any landlord in Canada. No Canadian credit history required to get started.
FAQ
Common questions from Ukrainian newcomers
Sources