Ukrainian refugees in the UK may lose housing and jobs, – The Guardian

Ukrainian refugees in the UK may lose their housing and jobs due to the prolonged visa processing times.

This was reported by The Guardian.

According to new rules, visa extensions can be requested no earlier than one month before the visa expires. According to the publication, some Ukrainian citizens have already been refused rental extensions due to expired visas. Some refugees have also been told that they will have to stop working during the visa extension process, as landlords and employers fear hefty fines.

In response, activists are urging the government to automate the visa issuance process. This would allow the rapid processing of tens of thousands of applications that may be submitted to the UK Home Office starting February 4, when the window for document extensions opens.

“This non-automated system is causing a lot of headaches,” said Simona Shechtman, head of the organization Birmingham for Ukraine.

Earlier, the UK government announced that refugees from Ukraine can now bring children with them to stay for up to 18 months.