About 4000 family members of Ukrainian Kiwis will be allowed to seek refuge in New Zealand, the Government has announced.
The 'Special Ukraine Policy' opens Tuesday for a year, and would see Ukrainians granted a two-year working visa.
Ukrainian-born New Zealand citizens and residents in New Zealand can sponsor a family member who is in Ukraine and their immediate family, including children, who will be allowed to attend school.
It comes as the Russian invasion of Ukraine has forced more than 2 million people from their homes.
Immigration Minister Kris Faafoi said it was the "largest special visa category we have ever established to support an international humanitarian effort".
About 4000 family members of Ukrainian Kiwis will be allowed to seek refuge here, the Government has announced. (Source: 1News)
"Alongside the additional $4 million in humanitarian funding also announced today, it adds to a number of measures we've already implemented to respond to the worsening situation in Ukraine."
Last week New Zealand introduced a special sanctions law to specifically penalise Russia without going through the UN Security Council.
"The 2022 Special Ukraine Policy will be open for a year and allow the estimated 1600 Ukrainian-born citizens and residents in New Zealand to sponsor parents, grand-parents and adult siblings or adult children and their immediate family who are ordinarily resident in Ukraine to shelter safely here," Faafoi said.
New Zealand currently does not have a provision to bring in refugees from Europe, but does have a special category of 200 emergency spaces able to be used. Green Party's Ricardo Menéndez March said the immigration responses "to support Ukrainians in New Zealand needs to be extended to people in Africa, Middle East and the rest of the global south facing war".
"We should have a framework already established so we aren’t at the mercy of ad-hoc, racialised responses by Governments of the day."
Foreign Affairs Minister Nanaia Mahuta also announced an extra $4 million in humanitarian support.
"Russia is causing a massive humanitarian crisis, with over 2.8 million people fleeing from the invasion in Ukraine to neighbouring countries. Reports also show over 1.8 million internally displaced within Ukraine following Russia's attacks on humanitarian corridors and the targeting of innocent people, hospitals, schools, homes and civilian infrastructure.
“This funding is in addition to the initial $2 million we have already provided and will help those immediately on the ground while we continue to look at options for further support.”
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