UK's visa extensions for Ukrainians fleeing Russian bombing exposes a 'manifestation of racists views'

The UK government’s plan to double the number of Ukrainians eligible to enter the country after Russia's invasion is "inadequate" and exposes a "problematic hierarchy of deservedness", refugee advocates said Wednesday. 

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his administration would increase the number of Ukrainians who qualify under temporary visa concessions from 100,000 to 200,000.

He also relaxed family reunion rules and launching a new community sponsorship scheme. 

Pro-refugee campaigners said the scheme for Ukrainians -  which they claimed doesn’t go “far enough” to protect thousands of people fleeing Putin’s invasion of Ukraine - revealed a “deeply problematic” response from the UK government to treat refugees differently depending on their race, colour, or creed. 

"Once again we are seeing a hierarchy of deservedness," Maddie Harris from Humans for Rights Network told The New Arab. 

The scheme offered to Ukrainians is a "manifestation of racists views" when you compare it to what was offered to Afghans or other communities affected by conflict across the world, said Harris. 

The UK government promised to resettle up to 20,000 Afghans in need of protection following the Taliban’s capture of Kabul in the summer. This is in addition to their scheme offering relocation or other assistance to former Locally Employed Staff in Afghanistan. 

Harris said her team still regularly received text messages from Afghans who worked with the military in need of assistance, and that around 12,000 are awaiting relocation or were stuck in UK Home Office accommodation. 

"These are limited schemes wrought with problems," said Harris. 

She said that instead of visas and bureaucracy, Ukrainians like others fleeing conflict needed safe routes to come to the UK. "There needs to be equal access to protection for everyone."  

Refugee Council told The New Arab that the British government’s scheme for Ukrainians was an "important start" but raised concerns that "in reality, it does not go far enough".

The organisation added: "It is imperative that the Government ensures there are sufficient resources put in place for health, education and other services to support Ukrainians when they arrive, and that the difficulties Afghans have faced accessing healthcare, childcare and education are not repeated." 

The UK Home Office told The New Arab of their visa scheme for Ukrainians: “Thousands more Ukrainians will be welcomed to the UK as the Government continues its support for Ukraine in their fight against the Russian invasion”. 

Their response detailed the different temporary visa changes, such as waiving salary and language tests. It also explained their plans to support Ukrainians with no ties to the UK through an "uncapped sponsored humanitarian visa route".

A similar scheme was set up in the wake of the Syrian conflict in 2016. Only 666 people have been resettled through this programme, according to The Times. 

Almost 836,000 refugees have fled Russia's onslaught on Ukraine, according to the UN Refugee Agency. The vast majority moved into neighbouring countries, including Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Romania and Slovakia, while others have travelled further across Europe.