Thousands of Ukrainians in Australia face uncertain futures
As the war in Ukraine enters its third year, thousands of Ukrainians who fled the conflict have made new lives in Australia. But many of them are facing an uncertain future, with their humanitarian visas due to expire next year. Community leaders say they risk being left in limbo unless the federal government provides them with pathways to permanent residency.
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00:00 Marta Atemenko and her daughter Kristina have spent the last two years building a new life
00:08 in Australia. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the pair fled their home city of
00:16 Kyiv before settling in Sydney.
00:19 When I arrived to Australia I understood that yes, it's my new life, I have to mobilise
00:25 myself and think about how to build it from the scratch.
00:33 But they face an uncertain future. Their humanitarian visas expire next year.
00:39 People are trying to settle down but when you don't know what your tomorrow is going
00:44 to look like, this is not possible.
00:48 Nearly 4,000 displaced Ukrainians are in Australia on temporary humanitarian visas. With no end
00:53 in sight to the war in Ukraine, community leaders are urging the federal government
00:58 to act.
00:59 We're calling on the government to look at pathways for permanency. We have people who
01:04 have been here now for over two years, they want to know what the future is.
01:08 The Department of Home Affairs says it continues to progress visa applications from Ukrainian
01:13 nationals as a priority, particularly for those with a strong personal connection to
01:18 Australia.
01:19 Australia and New Zealand have already established special permanent residency pathways for displaced
01:24 Ukrainians in their countries. Advocates say Australia should do the same.
01:29 Give people stability and give them dignity to be able to create their new lives in Australia.
01:35 17-year-old Christina is desperate for some certainty about her future here.
01:39 Obviously I want to start my degree and go into uni and hopefully work here one day.
01:45 Dreams that are for now on hold.
01:48 [BLANK_AUDIO]