With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many international students are currently unable to return to campus due to stricter regulations. One may argue that freshmen have it worse; they are deprived of the chance to integrate into the place they will call home for the coming four years. However, the circumstances are just as unfortunate for fresh graduates and the graduating class this academic year. With the economies of most countries declining and heavy social distancing rules put in place — both by governments and by individuals concerned about their well-being — students have extremely diminished work opportunities outside college. 

Regulations implemented to contain the spread of COVID-19 have taken a heavy toll on the world economy — the World Bank stated that we are experiencing “the deepest recession since the Second World War”. Many workers were laid off as countries went into lockdown and businesses shut down, causing unemployment rates to increase. In the US, the unemployment rate shot up from 3.5% to 14.7% in April. Likewise, a 1% increase in unemployment rate was seen in South Korea last May, and the youth unemployment rate rose up to as high as 11% in the last few months. During a period when companies are not looking to recruit more workers, the possibility of finding new jobs has greatly decreased for fresh graduates. 

Circumstances are particularly more difficult for international students. The rise of xenophobia and racism may have an effect on their chances of employment. East Asians have recently been experiencing more discrimination and violence due to being associated with China, where the coronavirus outbreak originated. During a crisis, where a nationalistic tendency is more likely to prevail, firms may prioritize employment of citizens over internationals —  a huge disadvantage for international students looking for work.

Furthermore, the physical absence of students from the country they are studying in restricts them from possible opportunities. Students who wish to find a long-term job outside their home countries struggle to make connections and gain job offers. Along with graduates, the current graduating class is also affected by the reduced chances to gain experience, such as through internships. As companies attempt to adhere to strict social distancing regulations and guarantee the health and safety of their current employees, most work experiences are suspended on the whole. Although there is an increasing number of online courses and internships available, there are fewer tasks that can be accomplished completely online. The limitation in experiences reduces the real-life knowledge students can gain, which may also affect their job prospects.

Even if a student succeeds in obtaining a job, the tedious process of acquiring a visa and the travel restrictions imposed by countries present another challenge. To reduce the possibility of importing coronavirus cases from abroad, stricter standards for granting visas have been put into place throughout the world. In Korea, short-term stay visas were canceled and visa-free entry was suspended, so the application for visas are taking longer to process. Other countries such as the US and Singapore are also regulating the issuance of visas more strictly, making it harder for international students and workers to legally remain in the country.

There are also international students who aim to continue to graduate school after completing their undergraduate studies. Most graduate school applications require standardized testing such as the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). According to Educational Testing Service (ETS), the organization that conducts the GRE, test schedules are constantly being changed depending on the COVID situation in each region. This may delay the application plans of students. In addition to complications in the application process, individual fear of traveling due to the pandemic and modified school regulations may reduce the options for students when choosing a graduate school. Since they cannot visit campuses, they have less information to assist their choices that may have been available in previous years. Furthermore, there may be a decrease in available scholarships for international graduate students, reducing the affordability of higher education and limiting choices.

Graduates are approaching a significant turning point in their lives; however, the COVID-19 pandemic has largely disrupted any plans they have made in order to pursue their goals. The unpromising prospects that international students face is adding to their anxiety and uncertainty about their futures.