About 4000 Ukrainians could be offered safe haven in NZ under a special sponsorship scheme that would allow them to live here for two years.
From today so-called sponsors can apply to bring their immediate family including parents, siblings and children from war-torn Ukraine to Aotearoa as long as they're able to financially support them.
Qualifying sponsors basically need to have been born in the Ukraine or have Ukrainian citizenship, but must also be a New Zealand resident or citizen.
The government estimates about 1600 people will qualify as sponsors.
Ukranian Olga Viazenko lives in Dunedin and talks to Lisa Owen.