Thousands of Ukrainian refugees who arrived in the UK following the outbreak of the conflict in 2022 may face losing their jobs due to confusion surrounding new visa extension rules, The Telegraph reports.
The UK Home Office previously announced that, starting in February 2025, Ukrainian refugees would be able to apply for an 18-month visa extension. However, the process cannot begin earlier than 28 days before the current visa expires, and application reviews could take up to eight weeks.
Ukrainian refugees are losing their jobs because their visas cannot be extended in advance. The charity Opora, which operates an information platform for Ukrainians in the UK, reported that this visa extension system has put 15% of refugees’ employment status at risk, the article states.
According to The Telegraph, up to 20,000 Ukrainian refugees in the UK may face employment challenges. Employers are reluctant to renew contracts or invite refugees to interviews due to visa uncertainties.
Additionally, a survey conducted by Opora among more than 3,000 Ukrainians found that 4% of respondents were denied housing rentals because of issues related to their visa status.
