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, the processing of new applications or renewing of 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, find a job or start a business following their graduation.
From the beginning of the outbreak, the EMN and the OECD have independently been monitoring how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting migration in the EU and beyond, in order to provide information useful to governments and policy makers at all levels. The EMN and OECD are now collaborating with DG HOME to address this urgent agenda in the short and medium terms. Such a collaboration aims to generate synergies and avoid duplication of effort to address this issue.
The result of the collaboration is a series of five Informs on measures taken at national and EU level in response to COVID-19 and their impacts on migration to address the negative
consequences of the pandemic. Other topics include:
- Residence permits and migrant unemployment (July 2020);
- Maintaining key legal migration flows in times of pandemic (October 2020, tbc);
- Impact on remittances (November 2020, tbc);
- Impact on return procedures (November 2020, tbc).
EMN and OECD will host a webinar to present the key findings of each Inform. This webinar will be conducted using Webex.Thorough instructions and technical guidance will be circulated in advance of the webinar.
Please register here (required)
Agenda
10.30-10.35
Opening session
Zane Rozenberga, EMN Luxembourg and EMN Communication and
Dissemination Working Group co-chair
10.35-10.50
The position of the European Commission
Doris Spickenreuther, Legal Officer, DG HOME, European Commission
10.50-11.05
EMN OECD Inform “Impact of COVID-19 on international students in EU and OECD Member States”: presentation of key findings
Stanislavs Lopatinskis, EMN Latvia expert
11.05-11.20
Good practice example: Germany
Bernd Fischer, Deputy Head of Division – European Higher Education Area, Internationalisation, Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Germany
11.20-11.35
OECD member countries’ response to the challenges faced by international students associated with the COVID-19 pandemic
Jonathan Chaloff and Thomas Liebig, Senior Migration Specialists, OECD
11.35-11.50
Q&A session
11.50-12.00
Closing remarks
Jean-Christophe Dumont, Head of the International Migration Division in the Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs, OECD