The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on international students in Canada

Firang, David

doi:10.1177/0020872820940030

Cited by 119 publications

(115 citation statements)

References 3 publications

(2 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…International students usually in insecure work were excluded from the federal government's COVID-19 relief measures, Job Keeper and Job Seeker. This mirrored the early experience of international students in Canada, especially those from developing countries who were initially excluded from relief measures and suffered hardship as a result (Firang, 2020). International students in Canada suffered emotional distress, an impaired sense of self-worth, loss of interpersonal contacts and impaired academic performance (Firang,p.…”

Section: The Australian Government Responsementioning

confidence: 82%

“…Other countries recognised the plight of international students, however this did not happen in Australia. Instead the Australian Government, in contradiction to their focus on the economy and the significant contribution international students make to the Australian economy and to universities, left international students to fend for themselves in the midst of a global pandemic (Firang, 2020;Gibson and Moran, 2020). The full economic impact of pandemic is yet to unfold especially on universities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Australian Social Work Academics Respond to International Students in Crisis During COVID-19

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article discusses the impact of COVID-19 on a cohort of international students studying at one Australian university and the efforts made by social work academics to assist these students through a challenging and distressing time between December 2019 and July 2020. International social work students usually rely on scholarships and casual employment to support themselves while studying. Nonetheless, the Australian government made no financial provisions for international students when the COVID-19 pandemic struck leaving many students without any means of support. Students from all parts of the world attend Griffith University, located in south-east Queensland, Australia, including students from Wuhan, China, where the first known outbreak of COVID-19 was identified. Shame, anxiety, racism and concerns related to the wellbeing of families overseas were superimposed onto their own health concerns and day-to-day survival while still seeking to maintain academic progress. Material and emotional support were provided through the establishment of a food bank and the development of a case management model to address the needs of students. A COVID-19 Alternative Placement course and a field education student hub supported academic success during the health emergency. These interventions developed independently as a crisis response and were merged into a multi-pronged, coordinated approach that included collaborations with other sections of the university and the community. A School working committee was established to co-ordinate interventions to address individual student need that included crisis intervention, referrals to internal and external resources, and developing communities of support. The journey traveled by students and academics and the lessons learned from this experience are described, all of which are relevant to future health emergencies including the value of involving social work in university preparedness planning. The article concludes that intensive support can enhance resilience while supporting students’ own survival strategies, and, importantly, how such efforts can minimize, as far as possible, disruption to academic progress.

show abstract

Section: The Australian Government Responsementioning

confidence: 82%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Australian Social Work Academics Respond to International Students in Crisis During COVID-19

et al. 2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, in many places, the crisis affected certain groups disproportionally and many unfair and inequitable practices were revealed. We agree with Firang (2020) that institutions should take advantage of these painful lessons in order to build and implement academic policies and practices that enhance inclusive experiences among minorities and vulnerable groups. We also recommend that tertiary institutions clearly communicate the pillars upon which all decisions are/will be made, such as ensuring safety or keeping students on track towards graduation.…”

Section: Empathy Positive Messaging Trustworthiness and Consistency Are More Pivotal Than Ever Beforementioning

confidence: 83%

Were Higher Education Institutions Communication Strategies Well Suited for the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Calonge¹,

Aguerrebere²,

Hultberg³

et al. 2021

JEL

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The immediacy of the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the sheer importance of internal and external communication with stakeholders. Universities had to rapidly grasp an unfolding and fast-changing crisis, gauge their level of preparedness, review decision and implementation processes, devise strategies, and adapt communication approaches. This exploratory study conducts a literature review in order to identify relevant studies that address how higher education institutions communicated to their stakeholders during the COVID-19 pandemic. The review of the literature revealed that although many higher education institutions had disaster recovery plans in place, few were well-equipped for a disruption of global proportions. Using a grounded theory approach, five important themes emerged from the relevant studies.

show abstract

“…Governments at all levels worldwide, including Canadian governments, have moved in unison to pass emergency legislation that prioritizes and enforces safety measures -"social distancing," "lockdown" conditions, border closures -to stop the spread of the virus. To alleviate the pandemic's social and economic costs, Canada has shown compassion to its most vulnerable citizens, including the elderly, unsheltered persons, children and low-income families, by providing emergency financial relief and social programs for most Canadians (Firang, 2020a). These financial and social safety programs provide most Canadians with a sense of economic security and a social safety net.…”

Section: The Covid-19 Pandemic and Black Canadiansmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The literature on COVID-19 and Black people is only now emerging; there is very little published scholarly material at this stage of the pandemic on Black Canadians and COVID-19, with the exception of grey literature in electronic and print media (Firang, 2020a). This paper is part of a more extensive study on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on marginalized communities in Canada.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do Black Live Matter Amid Covid-19 Pandemic?

2020

IJCDMS

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aim/Purpose: This article aims at exploring how systemic racism predisposes Canadian Blacks to COVID 19 infection, thereby raising the question as to whether Black Live Matters amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Background: Although many discourses about Blacks' vulnerability abound in the public media and academic literature, their vulnerabilities seem to have been overlooked amid the current COVID-19 global health crisis. Since COVID-19 was detected public health authorities deem older people, children, Indigenous people, and low-income Canadian families and those with weakened immune systems from underlying medical conditions as vulnerable to the pandemic. One group of people conspicuously missing from the vulnerable groups’ list is Black people. Drawing on evidence-based data from secondary sources, the article demonstrates that the gravities of the COVID-19 pandemic are deepening racial inequalities in Canada. The article also illustrates how many Black people and other racialized groups are at increased risk of COVID 19 infections and deaths due to a longstanding health inequality. Methodology: This study relies on evidence-based data drawn from various secondary sources, including academic papers, policy briefs, government reports, credible media sources, press notes and advisories, current newspapers, and online media reportage of the unfolding health crisis about COVID-19 to demonstrate that the gravities of the COVID-19 pandemic are deepening racial inequalities in Canada. Although research that articulates existing studies on Black people and the COVID-19 pandemic is very scanty, this paper is mostly exploratory as it emphasizes synthesizing secondary sources of literature review. Findings: The study finds that many Black people and other racialized groups are at increased risk of COVID 19 infections and deaths due to a longstanding health inequality. Further, the paper demonstrates that, historically, social determinants of health have prevented Black people from equal access to economic, social and healthcare opportunities. And thus, have exposed a longstanding systemic racism in employment, housing, education, and healthcare. Finally, the paper recommends two innovative strategies to achieve social transformation: 1) Black Canadians should shift from vulnerability to recognizing their vitalities/resiliencies and 2) building allyships with other oppressed groups to stop the spread of the two pandemics: anti-black racism and COVID-19. Impact on Society: This paper does not only contribute to our knowledge about the challenges Black people experience during the pandemic, but also enhances our understanding about the innovative strategy to defeat anti-black racism. This strategy implies that the time has come for Black Canadians to move beyond their vulnerabilities to discover their vitality and agency – moving from the discourse of victim hood to resilience, agency, vitality and creativity

show abstract

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on international students in Canada

Cited by 119 publications

References 3 publications

Australian Social Work Academics Respond to International Students in Crisis During COVID-19

Australian Social Work Academics Respond to International Students in Crisis During COVID-19

Were Higher Education Institutions Communication Strategies Well Suited for the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Do Black Live Matter Amid Covid-19 Pandemic?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About