Scotland becomes super sponsor as Ukrainian refugee scheme opens

The Scottish government has become the first super sponsor in the UK scheme for Ukrainians seeking refuge.

The Scottish government will provide people fleeing the war with temporary accommodation until a longer-term place can be found.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said Scotland could welcome 3,000 Ukrainians immediately.

She added that it would later take in "at least a proportionate share" of those coming to the UK.

On Friday, Ms Sturgeon said: "We intend to fully harness the thousands of individual offers from people in Scotland willing to provide Ukrainians with a home."

She urged organisations and charities working with Ukrainians who need refuge to help spread the word about the Scottish route.

The Scottish government is currently the only UK organisation allowed to sponsor refugees.

"Our programme will allow significant numbers of people fleeing Ukraine to come to Scotland immediately, and will be able to come to Scotland for safety and sanctuary first," Ms Sturgeon said.

"To those Ukrainians arriving in our country, I can say we will treat you with compassion, dignity and respect, and I extend a warm welcome to Scotland, our home - and, for as long as you need it, yours too."

The first refugees could arrive as soon as this weekend.

The first minister asked anyone in Scotland who could offer accommodation to register their interest through the UK government scheme.

The UK government's Homes for Ukraine scheme allows members of the public to host refugees.

However, when Ukrainians are applying to the scheme the Scottish government can now be selected as the sponsor for the visa application, which will bypass the need to initially match hosts with refugees.

Details will be shared with the Scottish government so appropriate matches can be arranged while immediate support is provided to those arriving.

Some charities have called for clarity on how the sponsorship scheme will work across the UK.

It is also possible for Ukrainians to come to Scotland using two other routes: the family visa and the individual sponsor route.

According to the UK government, more than 8,600 people in Scotland have signed up to host Ukrainian refugees since Monday.

In England, more than 122,000 people have signed up, with 10,200 in Wales and 6,200 from Northern Ireland.

The UK government's Housing and Communities Secretary Michael Gove said the UK had a history of "supporting the most vulnerable during their darkest hours".

He said there would be no limit to how many Ukrainians could enter the UK under the visa sponsorship scheme.