Achi news desk-
The Alberta government says it is making an initiative that allows the permanent exchange of driver’s licenses for Ukrainian refugees.
Last year, the province launched what was supposed to be a temporary one-year driver’s license exchange program for all Ukrainian Category B or BE driver’s license holders.
The aim of the program was to help refugees find work and care for and access to their families.
According to the province, between April 2023 and March 2024, a total of 14,315 driver’s licenses from Ukraine were submitted for exchange at Alberta registries.
In a news release Thursday, the Alberta government said the program has been so successful, it is now making the program permanent.
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Moving forward, Alberta will allow the permanent unilateral exchange of Ukraine’s Class B (passenger vehicles) and BE (passenger vehicles with trailer) driver’s licenses for an Alberta Class 5 driver’s license without any additional testing.
“evacuees from Ukraine already have too much stress to deal with, and this will remove unnecessary barriers and ensure that these new arrivals can drive to work and integrate into our communities,” said Devin Dreeshen , Alberta’s minister of transportation and economic corridors.
The Alberta government said Ukrainian driver licensing standards meet or exceed Alberta standards, and the move is in line with similar steps taken by many other provinces.
The permanent license exchange replaces the existing temporary one-year exchange which was implemented last year and comes into effect on April 18.
The Alberta government said on April 4, more than 60,000 Ukrainian evacuees have registered with Alberta Health in 210 communities across the province.
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