The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the substantial measures taken by EU and OECD countries to prevent the spread of the virus are having direct and indirect impacts on international students coming to those countries. While the long-term consequences are difficult to predict, the immediate impacts are already visible, for example, where the processing of new applications or for renewing residence permits has in many cases been hindered or suspended, with consequences for international students already present in the host country. In addition, the abrupt downturn in economic activity has had a significant impact across many sectors, with international students facing the loss of their part time jobs or reduced or lost incomes, which could have an impact on their ability to continue their studies or find a job or start a business following their graduation.
How did the pandemic affect international students coming to the EU and OECD countries and how did states respond?
- Some EU and OECD countries modified or adapted their admission processes at the national level, sometimes in cooperation with HEIs.
- Many countries introduced temporary measures to mitigate the financial impact that COVID-19 is having on international students, for example by increasing maximum working hours, opening access to national funds or through financial programmes managed at the local or HEI level.
The inform was launched at the occasion of the third – of a series of five – EMN-OECD Webinars on the impact of COVID-19 in the migration area.
Recording of the launch webinar (in English) of the EMN Inform can be accessed via this YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ej6Arct137Q&t=478s
* French version of the inform provided by EMN France.