The Home Office has confirmed that Ukrainians living in Britain under the Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) route can apply for an additional two years of leave to remain, with the on-line portal opening on 8 April 2026. A House of Commons Library briefing published on 17 April explains that the move provides continued stability for roughly 260,000 Ukrainians who arrived after Russia’s 2022 invasion. Under the renewed scheme, eligible holders may submit an application up to 90 days before their existing status expires; any un-spent leave will be ‘rolled over’ so that no permission time is lost. The extension grants the right to work, rent property and access public services but—controversially—still offers no formal path to settlement or permanent residence. Local authorities welcome the certainty but warn of rising homelessness risk as government ‘thank-you’ payments to host families taper off. Employers in sectors from social care to IT, which have relied on Ukrainian recruits, say the announcement allows them to plan staffing beyond 2026. Immigration lawyers, however, note that case-workers will have to process tens of thousands of renewal applications in a matter of months and urge companies to check that employees apply in good time to avoid right-to-work issues. The government insists the two-year window brings the UK broadly into line with the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive, which was itself extended to March 2027. Refugee advocates continue to press for a pathway to indefinite leave to remain, arguing that many displaced families will be unable or unwilling to return while the conflict endures.
Source: Electronic Immigration Network
