Ottawa - A Canadian security expert said that Europe is facing a massive new migration crisis due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and Canada should prepare to provide asylum for those fleeing violence.

Michael Bociurkiw, a Canadian in Ukraine who worked as a spokesperson for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe during the peak of tensions following Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, said.

"I would say to Ukrainians welcome to Canada. And you know, under these circumstances, visa rules will be relaxed, temporary residencies, and that kind of things."

Canada has promised to prioritize immigration applications from Ukraine to bring those fleeing the country to safety as quickly as possible.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also announced the establishment of a new hotline on Thursday, "for anyone inside or outside who has urgent questions related to immigration concerning Ukraine."

The Prime Minister said in his Thursday speech, "We have been working for the past several weeks to prepare exactly for such possibilities."

Bociurkiw spoke on Thursday from the city of Lviv in western Ukraine, where the day began quietly with locals lining up at ATMs and stocking up supplies in stores before air raid sirens blared.

Bociurkiw had seen half a dozen or so vehicles carrying the last Canadian diplomats leaving for the Polish border after recently relocating from the capital Kyiv, which suffered heavy bombing.

Bociurkiw said that the Western diplomats he spoke with expressed concerns that the region could be threatened by Russian tanks in Belarus, so he appreciates their decision to leave.

But he expected that the Ukrainians themselves will soon make this decision as well. He said many residents of Lviv, described as the cultural capital of Ukraine, could be suitable for a new life in Canada.

He added, "Lviv is the Silicon Valley of this part of Europe. There are a lot of talented Ukrainians, many with multiple degrees, they are exactly the kind of immigrants we need in Canada right now. Tens of thousands of doctors," said Bociurkiw. "The medical professionals here are highly qualified."

In fact, more than a million Ukrainians consider Canada home, and in 2016, about 4 percent of people in Canada responding to the census identified as of Ukrainian descent.

On the other hand, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi called on neighboring countries to keep their borders open to people coming from Ukraine seeking safety outside the country. He is deeply concerned about the rapid deterioration of the situation in Ukraine and its devastating humanitarian consequences.

Bociurkiw said Canada may face demands to open its borders as well, as it is unclear how long Europe will keep its borders open, or how prepared it is to absorb what could be a flow of millions of new asylum seekers.

New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh said on Thursday that given the pressure on the international community and the people of Ukraine, Canada must do more than prioritize applications to flee conflict zones.

"We cannot have another scenario like we saw in Afghanistan, where people were fleeing tragedy in Afghanistan and could not get to Canada because of challenges in the system that made it very complicated, making it difficult for them to apply."

He suggested that the government allow Ukrainians to come visa-free, to make the process as easy as possible for people to find safety in Canada.

It is worth noting that Canada has close relations with the Ukrainian government that currently still retains power, and Ukraine shares a border with the European Union. IRCC has visa offices and application centers in neighboring countries.

Giles said the ministry has prepared additional resources in the region in anticipation of a large influx of applications to come to Canada.

In the same context, the government approved issuing one-time travel documents for Ukrainians and family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents who do not have travel documents.

The Canadian government also allowed Ukrainian citizens in Canada to apply for extensions of study or work permits to stay safely in the country.

Editing: Dima Abu Khair