Ukrainians call for an end to UK visa uncertainty

Ukrainians living in Britain as part of the Homes for Ukraine scheme have said visa uncertainty is harming their ability to work and contribute to the UK economy.

Representatives from the Hilltops Ukrainian Support Community (HUSC) in Buckinghamshire have been visiting Westminster to deliver a letter to argue their case.

Natalia Sushko has been in High Wycombe since September 2022 and said: "There are a lot of cases where visa restrictions were a blockage for children or adults to proceed with jobs or in university or school."

The Home Office, which runs Homes for Ukraine, has been approached for comment by the BBC.

In the four years since the war in Ukraine began, about 2,100 refugees have moved to Buckinghamshire and have found their own homes and jobs after being hosted by families.

Although they have full rights to work, employers can be reluctant to offer them permanent contracts and places on training or apprenticeship schemes because their visas may not cover the full duration.

When Natalia came to the county with her 13-year-old daughter she was offered the chance via the Springboard Foundation to go to state boarding or private school, but she was "rejected because of the limitations of her visa".

Her mother said: "I cannot share all the emotions we felt at the time as we were really frustrated to lose such an opportunity.

"I do not have a solution to this problem, but think the cases we present [to Westminster] might be analysed so different solutions can be worked out."

In the "open letter", HUSC has asked the British government to:

• Establish a clear and time-limited pathway to settlement for Ukrainians, including either a five-year humanitarian protection visa with full access to work and education, or eligibility for Indefinite Leave to Remain after five years' lawful residence in the UK
• Provide immediate and transparent guidance on the future of all Ukrainian schemes, including confirmation of extension arrangements and settlement options
• Remove visa-related barriers to employment, training and education by issuing guidance that prevents rejection of permanent jobs, apprenticeships, sponsorships or internships on the basis of visa duration
• Guarantee a secure settlement pathway for children, particularly those who arrived before 1 January 2024 or who have completed four years of education in the UK

Tetiana Pantielieieva also lives in High Wycombe with her son, who has special educational needs.

"He is a very bright child so there could be a very nice path for him," she said, adding that she hoped it could include a place at the local state grammar school.

She said her son would soon be 11 and "speaks perfect English and follows UK rules at school and has integrated into this kind of life".

However, she said he could miss out on a school place as their visa was due to run out in October, yet they were currently unable to apply for an extension until September.

She said most Ukrainian families were settled and working, so it would be "helpful to have certainty".

She cited a scheme for people from Afghanistan "where they can live in the UK for three years and then receive settled status".

She added: "We cannot go back home because there is no place in Ukraine which could be safe."

However, if they did have to go home, she said her son had forgotten a lot of "his native language, because he speaks English, so the first challenge for him to return to Ukraine would be the language limitations."

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