Media Release - States seeks expressions of interest from householders who want to sponsor refugees - 21.03.22

Media Release

Date: 18th March 2022

States seeks expressions of interest from householders who want to sponsor refugees

The States of Guernsey is seeking expressions of interest from any householder in Guernsey, Alderney or Sark who believes they might be in a position to support Ukrainian refugees. Please complete the online form, which can be accessed at Bailiwick response to the war in Ukraine - States of Guernsey (gov.gg).

This is to inform the cross-committee work looking at the range of support needed if the Bailiwick was to adopt, in full or part, the UK's Ukrainian refugee sponsorship scheme,' Homes for Ukraine', which is about residents offering to host refugees with whom they do not have any prior connection. Any refugees arriving in the Bailiwick will potentially need access to specific support delivered across States committees, such as education, healthcare, immigration and social security.

The States is working closely with the UK Government to understand how its 'Home for Ukraine' will operate, in particular in terms of matching refugees with interested households.

The UK Government launched a website earlier this week seeking expressions of interest and the States is now seeking the same information from Guernsey, Alderney and Sark residents.

Anyone who has already expressed an interest in helping through with the UK's website is also asked to complete the online form via Bailiwick response to the war in Ukraine - States of Guernsey (gov.gg) as the UK's scheme is for UK residents only.

Deputy Peter Ferbrache, Guernsey's Chief Minister, said:
'We're pleased to be in a position where we can now ask for expressions of interest from any householder in Guernsey, Alderney or Sark who is keen to offer support should we adopt the UK's Ukrainian refugee sponsorship scheme, in full or part. The reason we cannot give absolute clarity at this stage is because we don't yet have the full detail of how the UK's Homes for Ukraine scheme would work here in Guernsey. We remain in close discussions with the UK and feel able to seek expressions of interest, as they have, but the sponsorship of refugees who don't have any family links to the island is a significant undertaking and one that requires us to have a States and Bailiwick-wide approach. We need to make sure that we're able to offer them the support they will need and support for the sponsors. While we are absolutely hopeful of our ability to help, we need to assess what we would need to do to make such a scheme operate in the Bailiwick before determining what modifications are needed to suit the local context.'

Please note that discussions around a potential Ukrainian refugee sponsorship scheme are separate to the scheme already in place to support Ukrainian nationals with family links to the Bailiwick.

The Ukraine Family Visa Scheme means any Ukrainian national who ordinarily lives in Ukraine and is an extended family member of a locally-resident British citizen can now apply for a visa free of charge through the UK Family Visa Scheme and come to the Bailiwick. Similarly, any Ukrainian national who has settled status in the Bailiwick can apply for their extended family to come to the Bailiwick. Extended family means parents, grandparents, adult children, siblings and immediate family members (spouse and dependent children).

Further information about the UK Ukraine Family Visa Scheme is available at: www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-ukraine-family-scheme-visa

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