Australian community leaders have urged the Canberra government to allow displaced Ukrainians to apply for permanent residence in the country. Temporary humanitarian visas for thousands of refugees from Ukraine’s war are set to expire next year.
Since the Russian invasion in February 2022, more than 11,000 Ukrainians have come to Australia on various Australian visas, including visitor permits.
Under a special program implemented by the Australian government from April to July 2022, some 3,790 Ukrainians were granted temporary humanitarian visas for a period of three years. These humanitarian visas are due to expire next year. Displaced Ukrainians with such immigration permits can stay by applying for skilled visa, family visa, student visa and visitor visa programs, the government said.
However, community groups say some displaced Ukrainians may find it difficult to obtain permanent visas because of barriers such as age restrictions for applicants, a lack of recognition of overseas qualifications and limited English language skills. Some visas require applicants to be under 45 years old and have relevant experience and qualifications in in-demand occupations in Australia, such as accountants, pilots and engineers.
Andrew Mencinsky, deputy chairman of the New South Wales Ukrainian Parliament, told local media that for many visa holders, their future in Australia was uncertain.
“There is currently no clear path to permanent residence and their current humanitarian visa is about to expire,” he said.
New Zealand and Canada have established special residency pathways for Ukrainians in their respective countries.
Natalia Borodina is a Ukrainian refugee who works at a Sydney charity helping new immigrants.
She told the ABC many Ukrainians in Australia were worried about what would happen when their current visas expired.
“In the last six months and currently, this is the number one question I hear from customers. Everybody who calls, the number one question is [is] Have you heard any news about the future of our visas? It’s causing a lot of concern within the community,” she said.
Australia’s Department of Home Affairs said in a statement that it was prioritizing “visa applications from Ukrainian nationals, particularly those with links to Australia”.
It added that Ukrainian nationals could apply for a so-called bridging visa, which would allow them to “remain lawfully in Australia” [their] Immigration status resolved. “
Australia is one of the largest non-NATO contributors to the Kiev war, providing missiles and armored personnel carriers.
The government also imposed sanctions on hundreds of Russian politicians, including President Vladimir Putin, military commanders and businessmen. It is the harshest penalty Australia has imposed on another country.
In addition, Canberra has banned imports of Russian oil, coal and natural gas.
The foreign and defense ministers of Australia and the United Kingdom issued a statement after their annual security talks on Friday, “unequivocally condemning Russia’s sweeping, illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine and demanding that Russia immediately withdraw its troops from Ukraine’s internationally recognized territory.”
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