UK industry joins marketing job scheme for Ukrainians

The UK advertising and marketing industry is offering an lifeline for Ukrainian professionals by joining a European-wide scheme which gives them access to UK job vacancies.

The platform, AdAid.eu, has been created by the Polish National Association SAR in collaboration with the Ukrainian National Association, and is designed to connect Ukrainian advertising professionals with employers from other European countries.

The UK Advertising Association and the CBI are supporting the scheme which allows immediate UK job vacancies to be advertised on a remote basis while the UK Government is currently regulating the status for Ukrainians arriving in Britain.

AdAid.eu is aimed at Ukrainian specialists looking for new opportunities in agencies, production companies or client companies, whether those are in a foreign country or working remotely.

Currently, the Government has two visa schemes available to support Ukrainian nationals leaving the country.

The Family Visa Scheme is for Ukrainians who have an immediate or extended family member in the UK. That family member must have British nationality, indefinite leave to remain in the UK, settled status or proof of permanent residence.

Ukrainian refugees are advised to apply at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) in countries including Poland, Romania, Hungary and Moldova, where they need to provide biometric information, such as fingerprints. Applications from refugees who have a Ukrainian passport can now be made entirely online. They will need to provide biometric information once they arrive in the UK.

The Local Sponsorship/Homes for Ukraine Scheme will opened on March 18, to provide a route for Ukrainians without any family ties to the UK to be matched with individuals, charities, businesses, and community groups as their sponsors.

Those who come under this scheme will also be granted leave for an initial period of three years and able to work and access public services. The Government has pledged to provide more detailed guidance on this scheme in the coming days.

While the major advertising networks – WPP, Omnicom, Dentsu, Publicis Groupe, IPG, and even Accenture – have pulled the plug on Russian operations, the future of their Ukrainian employees remains uncertain.

On Friday, Omnicom said its “number one priority” is the safety and well-being of its Ukraine staff and their families.

In a statement, it said: “We are in constant contact with our Ukrainian agency leaders and supporting our people with much needed humanitarian assistance, including transportation, accommodations, visa and working papers, translation services, relocation support, supplies and medical support.

“We continue to keep our affected colleagues in our thoughts and hope for peace.”