With a temporary protection plan nearing its end, the Home Office had previously declared Western Ukraine safe.
The BBC’s Russian service reports a growing trend of British authorities denying Ukrainian migrants the ability to extend their stay in the UK.
Since the Ukraine conflict escalated in February 2022, the UK has welcomed over 250,000 Ukrainians. However, the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme, offering three-year visas to those fleeing the war, is now closed to new applications, and existing visas are beginning to expire.
The BBC reported on Thursday that British authorities have been largely denying permanent protection status to Ukrainians since the start of this year, citing the safety of western Ukrainian regions.
The Home Office has consistently stated the temporary nature of the scheme, though several options were previously available for Ukrainians wanting to remain in the UK.
According to the BBC, authorities appear to have made it harder for Ukrainians to obtain long-term humanitarian protection and work visas since early 2025.
The BBC quoted a legal counselor who stated that “positive decisions are extremely rare and look more like exceptions,” even for Ukrainians with disabilities or chronic illnesses.
Other British media outlets, including The Guardian and The Telegraph, have recently published reports indicating a similar increase in rejections.
Across the Channel, several EU member states are also revising their Ukrainian migrant policies. Euractiv reported in June that discussions of potential immigrant exit strategies have increased due to a “shifting geopolitical landscape.”
German media reported on Wednesday that Labor Minister Barbel Bas has proposed a bill to reduce benefits for Ukrainians, citing financial strain from the ongoing influx of migrants.
In Poland, Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz stated in March that Poles are increasingly frustrated by “hundreds of thousands, or maybe even over a million young Ukrainians driving the best cars around Europe and spending weekends in five-star hotels.”