Sajid Javid wrong on government guidance for Ukraine family visas

“[For] a Ukrainian living and working here [on a visa], you will be able to bring your family here into the UK under the extended family scheme”

Health Secretary Sajid Javid claimed on the Today programme that Ukrainians living in the UK on a work visa are allowed to bring family members to the UK under the Ukraine Family Scheme.

Asked by presenter Mishal Husain whether a Ukrainian living and working in the UK, for example in the health service, and on a visa would be able to bring their family members over, Mr Javid said: “[...] so in the situation that you just gave, a Ukrainian living and working here, you will be able to bring your family here to the UK under the Extended Family Scheme.”

But the Home Office’s guidance on the subject says family members can only apply to join a UK-based relative if the relative is a British national, has some form of settled status in the UK, has pre-settled status from an EU country or Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, or has refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK. People in the UK on work visas aren’t mentioned in the criteria.

Mr Javid was challenged on this point by Ms Husain, who said government guidance “does imply that someone for example working in the NHS on a work visa in the UK wouldn't be able to bring their family members.”

The Home Office confirmed to Full Fact that the published criteria is the most accurate and up-to-date information available. It follows that Mr Javid was incorrect in the claim he made about family members of people in the UK on work visas.

There are alternative routes by which Ukrainian family members can join their relatives in the UK. It’s already the case, for example, that family members of people in the UK with certain categories of work visas can apply to join them, but there are specific criteria that need to be met as well.

During the Today programme interview, when asked if he was sure that the Extended Family Scheme is open to those who are in the UK on visas, Mr Javid went on to refer to another route: the “local sponsorship scheme for Ukraine”. . The details for this scheme and who will be eligible haven’t been published yet, but the Home Office told us that under this sponsorship scheme any Ukrainian could potentially come to the UK whether or not they had family ties here.

The government indicated last week that “work is underway” regarding the government’s approach to enabling family members to come to the UK. At this stage, it’s unclear whether this means the existing family scheme will be extended to allow more people to come to the UK, or by other means, such as via its new sponsorship scheme.

Image: by Chatham House on Flickr