UK relaxes visa rules for Ukrainian refugees
March 2, 2022, 9:22 am

UK relaxes visa rules for Ukrainian refugees

President Volodymyr Zelensky-PM Boris Johnson/Facebook page

The Gulf News reported, citing Reuters, Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned on Tuesday about the growing humanitarian crisis caused by Russia’s war in Ukraine, saying refugee numbers could reach millions, with possibly more than 200,000 coming to Britain to join family members.

Less than a week after Moscow launched a full-scale war on Ukraine, western leaders are looking at ways to help the hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians who have left their homeland.

Poland has estimated that about 350,000 people have crossed its border from Ukraine since last Thursday, while the European Union has emphasised the need to prepare for millions of refugees entering the bloc.

Johnson said during a visit to Warsaw: “We will make it easier for Ukrainians already living in the UK to bring their relatives to our country. Though the numbers are hard to calculate, there could be more than 200,000."

Downtown Kharkiv before and during the Russian aggression. Kharkiv is the second-largest city in Ukraine. Its residential areas have been targeted by Russian shells, rockets, bombs, missiles for days now (File photo: Euromaidan Press via Mariana_Betsa)

“(Russian President Vladimir) Putin’s invasion has already cost hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes, and we must prepare for an even larger outflow, perhaps in the millions.” Britain has 1,000 troops on standby to help the humanitarian response in Ukraine’s neighbours, including Poland, Johnson said as he pledged up to 220 million pounds ($294.69 million) in emergency and humanitarian aid for Ukraine.

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Interior minister Priti Patel told parliament the reunion criteria for Ukrainians would be widened to allow people living in Britain to bring parents, siblings, adult sons and daughters and grandparents to join them.

Visas for Ukrainian temporary workers in some sectors will be extended to allow them to remain in Britain until at least the end of this year, Patel added, and the government will also set up a humanitarian sponsorship route for Ukrainians who do not have family ties with Britain.

Patel said the usual language requirements and salary threshold for people coming to Britain to join their family would be lifted, and Ukrainians would be allowed to work and access public services.

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She said: “We will give them permission to enter the UK outside the usual rules for 12 months," adding “There is no limit on the numbers eligible under this route.”

Source: gulfnews

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”