UK Immigration News

A Home Office helpline setup to help Ukrainian nationals with UK immigration queries ‘wasn’t ready’, according to a report published by Civil Service World. The hotline has since launched, but was hit by delays despite Home Secretary Priti Patel urging people who met UK visa criteria to call the helpline.

 

This report is correct at the time of writing. However, some reports claim that the number of visas issued to Ukrainians is now more than 700. This is an evolving news story, which we will keep you updated on.

 

UK Home Secretary, Priti Patel, has come under fire after it was revealed that as few as 50 UK visas have been granted to Ukraine refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of their homeland. Patel was challenged over the low figure as she became embroiled in a row with France over refugees trapped in Calais without visas to cross the Channel.

 

More than 1 million Ukrainians have fled their homeland following a full-scale Russian invasion that began on 24 February, 2022. The crisis has been labelled the ‘worst in Europe since the Second World War’.

The UK is set to launch what have been described as the ‘most generous’ visa schemes yet in an effort to attract the world’s most talented individuals. First announced during UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak’s budget unveiling in 2021, the UK scale-up visa and high potential individual visa are set to open for applications in the Spring of 2022.

 

UK immigration minister, Kevin Foster, has been blasted for suggesting that Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of their homeland should ‘apply for work visas’ to enter the UK. The Torbay MP and Home Office minister posted on Twitter that there are ‘a number of UK visa routes available to Ukrainians, including the seasonal worker visa’.

 

Please note: This report contains defamatory comments that some readers may find upsetting. Claims have emerged that a Home Office UK immigration contractor failed to investigate racist messages sent by its staff. Mitie, which is contracted by the Home Office to escort and deport immigrants, reportedly failed to investigate allegations of racist WhatsApp messages, first reported by the Sunday Mirror, sent by the firm’s immigration staff.