Ukrainian refugees will have jobs lined up for them when they start to arrive in the UK, by 45 major businesses.
The group, led by the entrepreneur Emma Sinclair, who divides her time between the US and UK, is also calling on the government to make it easier for Ukranians to come to the country.
On Twitter, Ms Sinclair said she was “Extremely proud to be part of the British biz ecosystem & coordinate a growing coalition of FTSE & private companies offering jobs & support to refugees”
Ms Sinclair said her project will help tens of thousands of Ukrainian refugees get jobs in the UK, as well as somewhere to live and English lessons.
Big name businesses sign up
She says the businesses who have signed up to help include recruitment firm Robert Walters, Lush, Marks & Spencer and Asos. It has told the government it has around 10,000 jobs available for Ukrainians.
The BBC reports the project is in its early stages, and many of the details about how it will work in practice are unclear. None of the firms mentioned have commented on the plans, but Marks and Spencer has announced it has raised £1 million for UNICEF, to go toward the crisis in Ukraine.
Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, has been heavily criticised by the bureaucracy Ukranians face while trying to enter the UK. So far, around 1,300 Ukranians have been allowed into the country.
Meanwhile, the Secretary for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, announced a ‘Homes for Ukraine’ initiative, this weekend. This is a plan that will be in place this week that will allow individuals and community groups to give up their spare rooms to Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion.
Government spokespeople said they believed the programme could be initiated with hardly any bureaucracy.
Labour leader Kier Starmer told Sky’s Sophy Ridge programme he did not think there should be a cap on Ukrainian refugees entering the UK. Meanwhile, Ireland’s leader told the BBC that supporting the crisis in a humanitarian way was most important but they would continue to monitor the situation in case of criminals abusing the relaxed entry systems.
Feyaza Khan has been a journalist for more than 20 years in print and broadcast. Her special interests include neurodiversity in the workplace, tech, diversity, trauma and wellbeing.
