Ukraine Resettlement: Stakeholder Reference Group minutes - December 2024

Attendees and apologies

Attendees:

• Kaukab Stewart, Minister for Equalities, Scottish Government (co-Chair)
• Maureen Chalmers, COSLA Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing (co-Chair)
• Sabir Zazai, Chief Executive Officer of Scottish Refugee Council (SRC) (co-Chair)
• Callum Macdonald, SRC 
• David Beauchamp, Policy Officer (Ukraine), Migration, Population and Diversity Team, COSLA
• Olha Maksymiak, Ukrainian Collective
• Hanah Hawryluk, AUGB Edinburgh
• Fiona Bennet, Assistant Director, Children’s Services, Barnardo’s Scotland

• John Hawryluk, Ukraine Project Co-ordinator, EVOC
• Bruce Crawford, Chief Executive, EVOC
• Andrii Nadych, SRC
• Masha Allan, ScotsHosts
• Christina Pecheani, COSLA
• Catherine Brown, Head of Ukraine Strategic Policy and Engagement, Scottish Government
• Christine Hamilton-Rice, Scottish Government

Apologies:

• Elodie Mignard, SRC
• Kateryna Campbell, Branch Chair, Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) Glasgow
• Maria Jemicz, Branch Chair, Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, (AUGB) Dundee
• Oleksandra Novatska, Chair of Language and Culture Group, Ukrainian Collective  
• Aberlour Children’s Charity
• Claire Ritchie, EVOC
• Anna Kulish, Chair of the Housing Group, Ukrainian Collective

Guests:

Sachin Fing and Dan Male, Ukraine Response Strategic Team, Home Office

Presenters:

Ukraine Collective:  Olha Maksymiak, Communications Officer, Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) Glasgow

Secretariat:

• Claire McKenna, Ukraine Policy Manager, Scottish Government
• Ian Maclean, Ukraine Policy Officer, Scottish Government
• Catherine Brown, Head of Ukraine Strategic Policy and Engagement, Scottish Government
• Roz Britton, Scottish Government

Items and actions

1.    Welcome
The Minister for Equalities, Kaukab Stewart, welcomed everyone to the seventh meeting of the Stakeholder Reference Group (SRG). She set out that the meeting would cover: the most recent Home Office visa changes - Permission to travel, Ukraine Permission Extension and e-Visas. 
The Minister welcomed Bruce Crawford, newly appointed Chief Executive, EVOC to the meeting. 

The Minister reminded everyone that individual issues and any questions regarding the frequency or dates of meetings must be directed through the SRG Secretariat for further advice. 

2.    Actions from previous meeting on 13 November (New Scots)
Ms Stewart updated on the two actions from the previous meeting on 13 August (focussed on the ‘New Scots Delivery Plan’):

Action 1:
Concerns around adequate funding and governance to support the New Scots Delivery Plan to be raised at the New Scots Group.
 
Update:
The first New Scots Core Group meeting was held on 5 December, where Terms of Reference for the group were discussed along with an update of key actions within the Delivery Plan. The meeting brought together key partners and wider stakeholders including those with lived experience. Lived experience involvement in the Core Group meetings is supported by funding which will cover any travel and childcare costs.

Funding which supports the Delivery Plan actions includes:
•    £3,600,000 – Refugee Support Service, Scottish Refugee Council 
•    £85,000 – Refugee Doctors project, Bridges Programmes
•    £100,000 – Family Reunion project, British Red Cross
•    £12,500 – Translation and Interpreting services development work, Fairway Scotland
•    £6,000 - Lived experience involvement in the governance of the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy
•    £500,000 – delivery of ESOL in Glasgow, Glasgow ESOL Strategy Partnership 

The Minister also highlighted that she visited Glasgow Clyde College on 16 December and announced additional ESOL funding for Glasgow. Information about this funding was shared at the New Scots Core Group meeting.

John Hawryluk, EVOC, stated that partners from Edinburgh, Lothians and Fife had highlighted that there are inequalities in the funding landscape.

Cllr Chalmers explained that LAs had just received their financial settlement letters so there was a bit work to do to fully understand them. 
 

Action 2:
To find out more about the recent Independent Review of Community Learning and Development and how this feeds into ESOL for New Scots.
Cllr Chalmers said herself and Cllr Buchanan, COSLA spokesperson for Children and Young People met with the Minister to agree and develop a partnership action plan which will be up and running in 2025.

3.    SRG Governance / updates
The Minister reminded everyone that the SRG would now move into a twice-yearly cycle of meetings (previously quarterly) with the caveat that additional meetings will be organised if required. This change is due to the shift away from emergency response work and towards embedding the group’s work and expertise to support actions set out in the New Scots Delivery Plan.

4.    Latest Developments and Overview from the Home Office – Permission to Travel and Visa Changes

Key points from Home Office overview  Sachin Fing and Dan Male, Ukraine Response Strategic Team, Home Office
•    Officials from the Home Office provided an update on developments to the UK Government Ukraine visa schemes in 2024 and relevant changes to eVisas which may impact Ukrainian nationals granted visas under the schemes. 

•    The updates included details of the new Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme, which is set to open to applications on 4 February 2025, following the publication of further detail on the scheme. 

•    They highlighted that the UK Government has now offered or extended sanctuary to over 300,000 Ukrainians and their families, many of whom reside in Scotland, and that support for displaced Ukrainians is set to continue. 

•    The Home Office advised that there has been no substantive change in arrivals because of announcements regarding the use of permission to travel letters, and that expired biometric residence permits (BRPs) may be used as evidence of permission to travel until the end of March 2025 while new eVisas are phased in. 

•    Home Office is currently working up a comms and engagement plan with key stakeholders and the Ukrainian community to ensure everyone who wishes to apply for a visa extension is ready and knows exactly what to do and when. It will be a phased paced applications process, and the HO hopes that the most recent changes latest changes have been generally positively accepted by the Ukrainian community.

5.    Presentation from the Ukrainian Collective; response to Visa changes. Olha Maksymiak, Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) Glasgow

Olha outlined how the Super Sponsor Scheme has provided significant support for displaced Ukrainians, with Scotland hosting a disproportionately high number of arrivals relative to its population size.

To gain an understanding of the experiences, perspectives, and aspirations of the Ukrainian community in Scotland, the Ukrainian Collective developed a survey to gather insights into their views on UK visa schemes. 

The survey explored key areas, including:

•    Demographics: Gender and visa scheme.
•    Experiences: Interactions with visa processes and living conditions in Scotland.
•    Future Plans: Intentions to return to Ukraine or remain in Scotland.

Survey results

•    74.7% of the respondents were women with 60.1% of arrivals coming to Scotland under the Super Sponsor Scheme. 90.7% of respondents indicated that they felt anxiety or stress due to visa uncertainty along with 79.3% of respondents stating that they would consider the possibility of staying in the United Kingdom, even if they felt that returning to Ukraine had become safe.

•    Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme Impact on Employment
Some employers are unwilling to employ or invest in training or professional development for Ukrainians whose visa status is temporary, limiting opportunities effecting job security and continuity. The cost and complexity of switching to alternative visa types (e.g., Skilled Worker visas) can deter both employers and employees.

•    Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme: Impact on Housing
55.5% of respondents reported that their current visa status negatively affects their ability to find or retain housing.

•    The survey also found that short-term visas limit access to long-term rental contracts, leaving tenants at risk of eviction when leases end. Landlords can require proof of a visa extension, and they can be reluctant to offer a tenancy where a visa is due to expire within one year. 

•    The affordability of deposits and the current visa status also effects the ability to secure loans and mortgages causing emotional strain and making it difficult to plan for a stable housing future or invest in property.

•    Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme: Current Sentiments and Future Plans
The majority of respondents have considered the possibility of staying in the United Kingdom. The main reasons highlighted included the belief that they would no longer feel safe in Ukraine due to recent events (81.3%), emotional and financial challenges in starting a new life in Ukraine (69.1%), and better prospects for their children in the UK (59.2%).

•    Other Respondents Concerns
The dominant theme from the survey is the stress caused by uncertainty about their visa status and future in the UK. Many Ukrainians noted that the fear of having to return to Ukraine, often described as unsafe and unstable, significantly affects their mental health.

•    Respondents overwhelmingly requested clearer, more accessible pathways to permanent residency or Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR). The existing visa programs, particularly the Skilled Worker visa, were seen as unrealistic due to high salary thresholds and other restrictions.

•    Parents are concerned about their children’s continuity in UK schools and communities, especially challenges like college or school enrolment due to visa expiration. Respondents also emphasised their contributions to UK society through work, taxes, and community involvement. This they felt warranted recognition and support for permanent settlement. 

•    The presentation went on to lay out the current position of the EU regards displaced Ukrainians, and other challenges faced by Ukrainians in Scotland. 

The presentation referenced a quote from the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ilva Johansson, who stated that the EU is ready to accept Ukrainian refugees ‘as long as it takes,’ when asked whether the status of temporary protection could be extended after 2026. The Commissioner noted that the EU countries are working to reach a common European solution. They are also considering the issue of making the period of residence under temporary protection count when a person applies for permanent residence.

•    A range of recommendations from Settled, a UK charity, was put forward: They highlighted the immigration barrier preventing families from reuniting in the UK, noting the specific issue of children not being able to join parents in the UK; the need to establish long-term residency pathways for Ukrainian Nationals in the UK and increase funding and resources for immigration advice.

Recommendations of the Ukrainian Collective; 

•    Simplifying education enrolment and allowing proof of pending visa extensions to meet academic application requirements for the next academic year, ensuring continuity for children’s education.

•    Provide formalised letters or digital certificates to visa holders upon submission of a visa extension application, confirming their eligibility to work and rent during the application process to reassure employers and landlords. Circulating this reassurance through relevant stakeholders or umbrella bodies.

•    Create a Pathway to Permanent Residence and Introduce a long-term protection status like the Refugee Resettlement Scheme. Recognise time spent under temporary visas for ILR; Introduce a long-term protection status by establishing a humanitarian protection visa and include protections against deportation.

•    Increase funding and resources for immigration advice.

•    Streamline visa applications for close family members (especially children) to promote family stability.

6.    Roundtable discussion

Key questions raised:

Councillor Maureen Chalmers asked the following questions which were answered by the Home Office.
UPE and grounds for refusal of applications: The provisions in part 9 of the immigration rules, when considering suitability requirements covers any false representations at the border. While these grounds have been reapplied, the threshold is quite high, and this applies to all visas available across the UKG. 

UPE and late applications: The Home Office would always encourage people to make an in-time application. An out of time application runs the likelihood that there could be a loss of entitlements and/or benefits. There would not be a loss of entitlements if the application was submitted on time but still pending. A pragmatic view on late applications would be taken if there was a delay for a medical reason as an example. 

Ability to make the visa process more straightforward to reduce trauma and provided more certainty: At this stage it is not being widely considered beyond the immediate 18 months due to urgent priorities, but it will be considered in line with the changing situation in Ukraine. 

Sabir Zazai (SZ) asked about the ability to make the visa process more straight forward and provide more certainty for displaced Ukrainians. The Home Office said that there are fine balances to strike, particularly given the needs of the Ukrainian Government in relation to the high proportion of women and children who have had to leave Ukraine.
The Home Office advised at this stage it is not being widely considered beyond the immediate 18 months due to urgent priorities, but it will be of course considered in line with the changing situation in Ukraine.

John Hawryluk (JH), EVOC shared concerns from employers that an employer could be penalised if they employ someone on an invalid visa. He mentioned that while Ukrainians would still have a ‘valid’ visa albeit still at the assessment period and still able to work, employers will be unsure if they can continue to employ Ukrainians in the intervening period heightening the risk of Ukrainians falling out of employment. 

Hanah Hawryluk (HH) (AUGB Edinburgh) informed the group the Home Office would be visiting the three AUGB branches in Scotland in January to answer any questions.

Action: EVOC /SG To feed employers concerns back to relevant Home Office team and encourage future discussion between Home Office and SG colleagues around potential resources/information that could be shared with employers ahead of the UPE process.

Action: Home Office officials to share new comms material with SRG members/Secretariat

Action:  AUGB Edinburgh to share details of Home Office sessions in January

 

7.     AOB, Date of next meeting and close

Update on Welcome Accommodation Offer 
Christine Hamilton-Rice (SG) provided the group with an update regarding forthcoming revisions to Scottish Government’s offer of welcome accommodation, effective from the 20 December which are as follows: 

•    Under current policy, guests are entitled to stay in welcome accommodation for up to 180 nights from the date of entry and receive two offers of alternative. From the 20 December, guests will be entitled to stay in welcome accommodation for a maximum of sixty days once two offers of alternative accommodation have been made. Local authorities will clearly set out the latest date of exit for each guest in guest communications. 

•    Guidance for displaced Ukrainian people has been updated to provide greater clarity around the existing policy of the definition of a reasonable offer. This makes clear circumstances that will be considered are far as possible in developing offers of longer-term accommodation but are distinct from the definition of reasonable offer. 

Christine informed the group that they were welcome to contact her should they require more information or further clarification regarding the welcome offer.

Date of next meeting
The next meeting will be in June 2025 with the focus on the Warm Scots Future and how this works with the New Scots integration strategy.