SYDNEY, March 20. /TASS/. Refugees from Ukraine who are hosted by Australia will receive a three-year visa allowing them to obtain state health insurance and work permits, Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Senator Marise Payne announced on Sunday.
"We will also make available a temporary humanitarian visa to Ukrainians who have arrived in Australia. This visa will be valid for three years and allow people to work, study and access Medicare," Payne said in a statement published on the website of her ministry.
She noted that from February 24, 2022 almost 4,500 Ukrainians received humanitarian visas and more than 600 of them have already entered the country.
"The Government will continue working closely with the Ukrainian-Australian community to ensure those arriving from Ukraine will be provided support throughout their stay in Australia. We have provided a grant of 450,000 Australian dollars ($334,100 - TASS) to community groups to facilitate their ongoing work," she said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on February 24 that in response to a request by the heads of the Donbass republics he had made a decision to carry out a special military operation in Ukraine, stressing that Moscow had no plans of occupying Ukrainian territories. Western countries responded to the actions of the Russian authorities by slapping sanctions against physical and legal entities.