For foreign students: Pandemic spells uncertainty

For foreign students: Pandemic spells uncertainty

Noemmy Mendoza (Photo provided)

By Irish Mae Silvestre
The Philippine Reporter

While some international students may have chosen to return home as international borders closed, others have little choice but to stay and contemplate their future in the midst of a pandemic. A combination of school closures and mass layoffs have left many foreign students in precarious situations both in terms of their visa status and financial situation.

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), as of December 31, 2019, there were 642,480 international students in Canada. Out of those, the Canadian Bureau for International Education stated that 60 percent of international students plan to apply for permanent residence.

Sheena Ancheta, 27, and Noemmy Mendoza, 37, are roommates and rent space in a house in Scarborough. Ancheta has almost completed a one-year certificate course in business foundation at Centennial College, while Mendoza is currently studying business management at Canadore College in Scarborough. They’ve been friends for almost seven years since they worked together in the Philippines. Now, amid class cancellations and the closures of education institutions, Ancheta and Mendoza find themselves in the grey area in which many other foreign students find themselves.

Ancehta’s one-year course was supposed to end on April 17, however she’s not sure if the school will continue with their final exams. “If we can’t do the exam, our grades are incomplete and if our grades are incomplete, we can’t apply for Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWP),” she said.

Ancheta said that she hopes the government will give graduating international students an extension to apply for their PGWT, a permit that allows students to search for jobs and apply to become a permanent resident.

“This is it, we’re almost done,” she said. “It was our dream to migrate here and it’s why we came here as international students. But how can we find work if there’s a recession and people are being laid off?”

Sheena Ancheta
(Photo provided)

Financial Stress

Before the shutdowns, Ancheta worked part-time as a sales associate at Winners. But now, she’s uncertain about her employment status. “Work just stopped,” she said. “They’re still assessing the situation to see what they can do. They haven’t told us that we’re laid off, so I’m still employed.”

However, it’s already been two weeks since her last paycheck. “My concern is my monthly allowance for rent and then food,” said Ancheta. “We have savings, which are important for when you’re new in Canada but we’re not sure how long those savings will last.”

Although international students are expected to have enough money to cover their tuition and living expenses, the reality is that many students rely on the income from the twenty hours they’re allowed to work.

Mendoza, who moved to Canada last December, had been looking for a part-time job before the closures but now she says that her prospects look grim.

“There’s a recession right now and they’re firing part-time workers and international students so that’s our dilemma,” she said. “It’s going to be harder for us to find part-time jobs now.”

As the government scrambles to set up unemployment benefits for residents, international students fallen by the wayside. It’s unclear if they’re eligible for any sort of financial assistance.

Despite the situation, Mendoza still feels fortunate. “We’re still quite lucky because other students are worried about how they’re going to send money to their family back in the Philippines,” she said.

In addition to the anxiety is the homesickness.

“There are moments when I just want to go home but I ask myself: how will I get my resident status if I do?” said Mendoza. “I think Trudeau has a plan for us. I feel that no one will suffer here, whether they’re unemployed or homeless; it’s a world of a difference from the Philippines.”

She knows of students who have had to apply for another year-long course after being unable to find a job – an expense Mendoza doesn’t think she can afford. And then, there are those who have tried their best but, in the end, have had to the Philippines.

“By hook or by crook, we want to become permanent residents,” said Mendoza. “We don’t have jobs to go back to and [by then] my savings will all be gone. There won’t be anything for us to go home to.”