Skip to content
The Cost of War

Analysis

Relocation: Legal Routes, Jobs and Help

Legal routes to the EU, UK and USA for people from Ukraine and Russia, with the latest official policy changes, current job vacancies and where to find trustworthy legal help.

This page is general information, not legal advice. Immigration rules change often: always check the official source linked to each point, and get advice from a regulated adviser for your own case.

Updated

XTelegramFacebookWhatsAppLinkedIn

Stay safe

  • Government applications for Ukraine schemes are free. Nobody can sell you a 'guaranteed' visa.
  • A job offer that asks you to pay for a visa, a work permit or 'processing' is almost certainly a scam.
  • Check that an adviser is regulated before paying (OISC or solicitor in the UK, EOIR-accredited or licensed attorney in the US, the national bar in EU countries).
  • Keep copies of your passport, permits and every letter from immigration authorities, and note the date your status expires.

Route summaries checked against official sources on

Legal routes

Choose where you are from and where you want to go. Each summary links to the official pages it is based on.

I am from
Moving to

Ukrainians → European Union: temporary protection

Open

Temporary protection in every EU country now runs until 4 March 2028. People who already hold it keep it; since 5 August 2026, new applicants must show they meet their military obligations in Ukraine.

What you need to know

  • Extended to 4 March 2028 by Council Implementing Decision (EU) 2026/1912, adopted in July 2026 and published on 4 August 2026.
  • It gives residence, the right to work, housing, medical care, social assistance and schooling for children. You register for a residence permit in the EU country where you choose to live.
  • Since 5 August 2026, new applicants must prove they meet their military obligations in Ukraine, for example with an exit stamp or a lawful border-crossing record, or an official document such as one from the Reserv+ app. People who held protection on or before 4 August 2026 and have kept it are not affected.
  • Holding temporary protection does not stop you applying for asylum or for a national work, study or family permit. The EU has asked member states to help people move to other residence statuses, but the options differ by country.
  • EU helpline in Ukrainian and Russian: 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 from inside the EU, +32 22 99 96 96 from outside.

Recent changes

  • Military-obligation condition applies to new applicants.
  • EU countries agree to extend protection until 4 March 2028.

Ukrainians → United Kingdom: Homes for Ukraine and extensions

Open

Homes for Ukraine is the only Ukraine scheme still open to new applicants. It is free, new visas last 18 months, and the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme lets you stay longer, but none of these routes leads to settlement.

What you need to know

  • Homes for Ukraine: you need a sponsor in the UK who is a British citizen or has permanent residence. Applying is free and new visas last 18 months.
  • Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE): a first extension of up to 18 months and, since 8 April 2026, a further 24 months. Apply in the 90 days before your permission expires. There is no fee and no immigration health surcharge.
  • UPE permission allows work, study and access to public funds, but it does not count towards indefinite leave to remain. To settle, you would need to switch to another route such as Skilled Worker.
  • The Ukraine Family Scheme closed to new applicants in February 2024, and the Scottish and Welsh super-sponsor routes are paused.
  • From 1 January 2027, monthly 'thank you' payments to Homes for Ukraine hosts fall to £100 per household.

Recent changes

  • Government announces lower host payments and council funding from 1 January 2027.
  • Second UPE extension of 24 months opens, with a 90-day application window.

Ukrainians → United States: parole and TPS

Uncertain

There is currently no open humanitarian route for new arrivals. Uniting for Ukraine stopped accepting new sponsorships in January 2025, and the future of Temporary Protected Status after 19 October 2026 has not been announced.

What you need to know

  • Uniting for Ukraine: USCIS paused new supporter forms (Form I-134A) on 28 January 2025 while it reviews parole programmes. Re-parole for people already in the US is discretionary, and processing has been slow and uncertain.
  • TPS for Ukraine: the published designation ends on 19 October 2026. USCIS says an announcement 'will be made at the appropriate time' (page updated 19 October 2026). Check the USCIS page and the Federal Register for the latest notice.
  • A final rule published on 14 October 2026 ends the automatic extension of work permits (EADs) while a renewal is pending in certain categories. File renewals as early as allowed.
  • Longer-term options depend on your situation: family petitions, employment visas, or asylum, which normally must be claimed within one year of arrival. Get advice from an accredited legal service before your status expires.

Recent changes

  • Published TPS end date passes without an announced decision.
  • Final rule removes automatic EAD extensions in certain categories.

Latest official policy updates

Scanned daily from GOV.UK, the European Commission and the US Federal Register. Titles are shown as published, usually in English.

European Union

United Kingdom

Job vacancies

Current listings gathered daily from public job boards and the careers pages of international employers hiring in Europe, the UK and the US. Apply on the original site; this page never collects your details.

Showing 25 of 439

'Mentions visa or relocation' is detected automatically from the listing text. Confirm sponsorship with the employer before you apply or move.

Job boards

Official employment services, established job boards and organisations that help displaced people find work.

  • EURES

    Official · EU

    The EU's official job mobility portal, with vacancies from public employment services across Europe.

  • Make it in Germany

    Official · EU

    German government portal for skilled workers: visas, recognition of qualifications and job listings.

  • Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Jobsuche

    Official · EU

    Germany's Federal Employment Agency job search, the country's largest vacancy database.

  • Oferty pracy — praca.gov.pl

    Official · EU

    Poland's Central Job Offers Database run by the public employment services.

  • StepStone

    Job board · EU

    Large commercial job board for Germany and other European markets.

  • Arbeitnow

    Job board · EU

    Jobs in Germany, many in English and some offering relocation or visa support.

  • Find a job (DWP)

    Official · UK

    The UK government's free job search service.

  • NHS Jobs

    Official · UK

    Vacancies in the National Health Service; many health roles can be sponsored for a visa.

  • Register of licensed sponsors

    Official · UK

    Official list of UK employers allowed to sponsor work visas. Check an employer here before relying on a job offer.

  • Reed

    Job board · UK

    One of the UK's largest commercial job boards.

  • Totaljobs

    Job board · UK

    Major UK job board covering most sectors.

  • CareerOneStop

    Official · USA

    US Department of Labor job search that gathers listings from state job banks and employers.

  • USCIS H-1B Employer Data Hub

    Official · USA

    Shows which US employers have filed H-1B petitions, useful for finding employers that sponsor visas.

  • Indeed

    Job board · USA

    Large job search engine; also has national sites for the UK and most EU countries.

  • Dice

    Job board · USA

    US job board for technology roles.

  • LinkedIn Jobs

    Job board · International

    Professional network with international listings; search for 'visa sponsorship' or 'relocation'.

  • Tent Partnership for Refugees

    Specialist · International

    Network of companies that have committed to hiring and training refugees, including people from Ukraine.

  • Talent Beyond Boundaries

    Specialist · International

    Helps displaced people move abroad through skilled work visas with partner employers.

  • Remotive

    Job board · International

    Remote jobs, many open to applicants worldwide; check each listing's location requirements.

  • Jobicy

    Job board · International

    Remote job board with listings by region and time zone.

Study and research

Universities, scholarships and programmes for students and researchers, including scholars at risk.

  • EURAXESS

    Education · EU

    EU portal for research jobs and fellowships, with support for researchers from Ukraine.

  • DAAD

    Education · EU

    German Academic Exchange Service: scholarships and a database of study programmes in Germany.

  • Scholars at Risk

    Education · International

    Arranges temporary academic positions for threatened scholars at member universities.

  • IIE Scholar Rescue Fund

    Education · International

    Fellowships for threatened and displaced scholars at host institutions worldwide; applications are rolling.

  • Cara (Council for At-Risk Academics)

    Education · UK

    UK charity that places at-risk academics in UK universities.

  • UCAS

    Education · UK

    The UK's central admissions service for undergraduate degrees.

  • EducationUSA

    Education · USA

    US State Department network giving free advice on studying at accredited US institutions.