11 October 2024
The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) welcomes the Government’s announcement that it will provide permanent stay Resolution of Status (RoS) visas for Ukrainians in Australia (albeit on a case-by-case basis), providing much-needed certainty for those who have arrived here since the war began. Over 4,700 Ukrainians were offered temporary humanitarian stay visas between April and July 2022, and a further 1,000 people who were able to apply for Bridging Visas to remain in Australia temporarily.
As these visas near expiration, we commend the Government for recognising the continuing crisis in Ukraine and for making sensible decisions to extend support.
RCOA acting CEO Adama Kamara said, “Ukrainians have already made significant contributions to our communities, and this commonsense decision ensures they can continue to do so.
“We urge the Government to adopt a consistent approach to emergency visas, on arrival support and pathway options for other crisis situations, including for people from Sudan, Myanmar and the Middle East. A coherent, predictable framework would ensure that Australia can offer clear and practical support for people fleeing crises.”
While we welcome these visas, we hope that the process is done quickly and fairly, providing the much-needed certainty that is needed during this time.
For media inquiries, contact: media@refugeecouncil.org.au
