Highlights
- A survey conducted by NSW Unions with 6,000 international students found 60 per cent lost their jobs and 43 per cent were skipping meals. Over 1200 Brazilians completed the survey
- The top four source markets for Australia's international education sector are China, India, Nepal and Brazil.
The survey was conducted by Unions NSW had 6,000 participants, of these, 1,200 were Brazilians on a student and graduate visa.
Survey Results – Brazilian Students
The NSW Unions Survey has over 5,000 responses
Over 1200 Brazilians completed the survey – 22% of the respondents were from Brazil. A big proportion of Brazilians were international students and graduate visa holders
Impact on employment Brazilian international students
60% Brazilians lost their job
26% Brazilians saw their hours significantly reduced
6% have been exposed to workplace health and safety risks
Impact on employment Brazilian graduate visa holders
Brazilian Aid Gabi Laverde (left) and Flávia Teixeira Source: Supplied
49% Graduate visa holders from Brazil lost their job
25% Graduate visa holders from Brazil saw their hours significantly reduced
10% was exposed to health and safety risks
Impact on housing Brazilian international students
23% was unable to pay rent and anticipate imminent eviction – which means risk of being homeless
23% was unable to pay rent and anticipate imminent eviction – which means risk of being homeless
26% were sharing a bedroom to reduce costs
12% moved to another house to reduce costs
8% were negotiating a rent reduction with their landlord
6% roommates moved out and left them with a large rent that they don’t know how to pay.
Impact on housing Brazilian Graduate visa holders
Source: Unions NSW
37% - was unable to pay rent and anticipate imminent eviction – which means risk of being homeless
11% was sharing a bedroom to reduce costs
Food insecurity
30% of Brazilians international students were skipping meals on regular basis to survive.
23% of Brazilians graduate visa holders were skipping meals on regular basis to survive.
30% of Brazilians international students were skipping meals on regular basis to survive.
23% of Brazilians graduate visa holders were skipping meals on regular basis to survive.
"We often hear from students who lost their jobs or were exploited and underpaid," says Gabi Laverde, Brazilian Aid president.
About 60% of Brazilian students lost their jobs and, among those with a Graduate Visa, 49% lost their jobs. The results show postgraduates in a slightly better situation than those with student visas.
The survey also revealed the impact on student accommodation. Many students (23%) said they were unable to pay their rent and believed they were going to be evicted and 26% were sharing a room to reduce spending.
Ms Laverde also argues that it is unfair for students to negotiate with property owners as suggested by government agencies at the beginning of the Covid crisis. "It is completely unfeasible, international students come from a very vulnerable position," she said.
According to the survey, 30 percent of Brazilian students said they were skipping meals to save money. “Our demand for food donation is mostly made up by migrants,”, says Ms Laverde, whose organisation has been responsible for collecting and donating food for students and young families in need, “many families with children are depending on this help to have food on the table,” she said.
Source: NSW Unions
Source: Unions NSW
