UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Ukrainian refugees in the UK face job losses and housing instability due to delays in visa extensions, leaving many families in financial hardship.
The Home Office’s visa extension process could lead to job and housing losses for Ukrainian refugees as they struggle to verify their right to stay in Britain for up to eight weeks.
What does the Ukrainian Permission Extension Scheme mean?
The Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) program, introduced in November, enables Ukrainian refugees who are currently residing in the UK to remain for an extra 18 months after their visa expiry.
Under current regulations, Ukrainians granted the right to stay in Britain due to the Russian invasion must wait until just before their visa expires to apply for an extension.
According to Opora, a charity providing support to Ukrainians in the UK through an online information portal, 15% of refugees have reported their job security being jeopardized by the UPE scheme.
Why are campaigners pushing for automated visa extensions?
Advocates are urging the government to automate the visa extension process, raising concerns that the Home Office will be overwhelmed by tens of thousands of applications between 4 February and June, particularly from Ukrainians who arrived in 2022 following the war’s onset.
Simone Schehtman, head of the Birmingham for Ukraine group, stated,
“This non-automatic scheme is causing a lot of headaches. We’re dealing now with a lot of really anxious families, mostly women with children who came to escape the war while their husbands stayed back.”
According to her, many Ukrainians hoped their three years in Britain would count towards citizenship, a benefit not currently offered to them, unlike for other refugee groups in some EU nations.
How are visa extension delays impacting Ukrainian refugees, according to leaders?
The head of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, Petro Rewko, described the third anniversary as a ‘very traumatic’ period. He expressed concern over the delay in the visa extension system, which he believes has led to the spread of rumours and panic, with scammers profiting by charging refugees thousands to expedite the process.
According to Olga Meglinskaya, leader of the Brama Trust in Solihull, many Ukrainian refugees are having difficulty renewing tenancy agreements, adding,
“We run support groups, and I can see people starting to break. There’s a lot of PTSD, and the welcoming atmosphere in the UK helped heal some of the initial wounds, but now those are being reopened due to uncertainty.”
What did the CEO of the Refugee Employment Network say about Ukrainian refugees?
Jenny Walton, chief executive of the Refugee Employment Network, stated that many Ukrainian refugees are highly qualified, but their skills and experience are frequently overlooked.
A study by Queen’s University Belfast revealed that the majority of refugees found jobs through ties with local host families. Walton also highlighted that some sectors, like engineering, are actively supporting refugees, citing the Engineering Council’s new initiative for refugee engineers.
How did the government spokesperson respond to the matter of Ukrainian refugees?
A representative from the government stated,
“Since Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion, we have offered or extended sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their families.
According to the spokesperson, the UPE scheme allows individuals under existing Ukraine schemes to apply for an additional 18 months to remain in Britain.
How many Ukrainians have arrived in the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme?
More than 190,000 people have arrived in Britain under the Homes for Ukraine system, which was introduced in March 2022 following Russia’s invasion.
Last February, the Conservative government limited eligibility, preventing Ukrainians who do not have the right to remain permanently in the UK from sponsoring individuals under the Homes for Ukraine program.
After changes to visa rules were reversed, Ukrainians are once again able to reunite with their children in the UK.