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SYDNEY —Australian community leaders are urging the Canberra government to allow displaced Ukrainians to apply to stay permanently in the country. Temporary humanitarian visas for thousands of refugees from the Ukraine war expire next year.
More than 11,000 Ukrainians on various types of Australian visas, including visitors' permits, have come to Australia since Russia invaded in February 2022.
About 3,790 Ukrainians were granted three-year temporary humanitarian visas under a special Australian government program that ran from April to July 2022. The humanitarian visas are to expire next year. The government has said displaced Ukrainians with that type of immigration permit might be allowed to stay by applying for the skilled, family, student and visitor visa programs.
Community groups, though, say some displaced Ukrainians might find it hard to qualify for permanent visas because of such obstacles as applicant age limits, lack of recognition of overseas qualifications and limited English language skills. Some visas require applicants to be younger than 45 and to have relevant experience and qualifications in occupations that are in short supply in Australia, such as accountants, pilots and engineers.
Andrew Mencinsky, the vice president of the Ukrainian Council of New South Wales, told local media that for many visa holders their future in Australia is uncertain.
"At the moment there is no clear pathway to permanent residency and their current humanitarian visas are approaching expiry," he said.
New Zealand and Canada have already established special residency pathways for Ukrainians in their countries.
Natalia Borodina is a Ukrainian refugee who works for a charity in Sydney helping new migrants.
She told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that many Ukrainians in Australia worry about what will happen when their current visas expire.
"Over the past six months and currently, that is the first question I hear from my clients. Everyone who calls, the first question [is] have you heard anything in terms of our visa future? And that causes a lot of worries within the community," she said.
Australia's Department of Home Affairs said in a statement that it was processing "visa applications from Ukrainian nationals as a priority, particularly for those with a connection to Australia."
It added that Ukrainian nationals could apply for a so-called bridging visa, which would allow them to "stay in Australia lawfully while [their] immigration status is resolved."
Australia is among the largest non-NATO contributors to Kyiv's war effort, supplying missiles and armored personnel carriers.
The government also has placed sanctions on hundreds of Russian politicians, including President Vladimir Putin, military commanders and businesspeople. They are the most sweeping penalties Australia has ever imposed on another country.
Additionally, Canberra has banned imports of Russian oil, petroleum, coal and gas.
A statement Friday following annual security talks between the foreign and defense ministers of Australia and Britain "unequivocally condemned Russia's full-scale, illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine and demanded Russia immediately withdraws its forces from Ukraine's internationally recognized territory."