Key Points
- NSW International Student Intake, Assessment, Referral & Support Service has been defunded.
- The service helped hundreds of international students during the pandemic, mostly from India, Nepal and the Philippines.
- There are fears some international students may not know where to seek assistance during a crisis.
In July 2021, the Sydney Community Forum received $120,000 from StudyNSW to pilot the
After developing a dedicated website for students to access the services, it supported over 440 international students in its first year alone.
According to the Sydney Community Forum, the IAR was mainly used by students from India, Nepal and the Philippines.
Nearly 70 per cent of the cohort were studying at the degree level (Bachelors, Masters, PhD) and 29 per cent were enrolled in VET courses (Certificate, Diploma & Advanced Diploma).
End of the support service for international students in NSW
Asha Ramzan, spokesperson for Sydney Community Forum, said the service offered crucial support for international students.
"Defunding support services from 1 July amid a cost of living crisis, when international students are struggling to pay rent or buy groceries, will have devastating consequences," she said.
Asha Ramzan, Executive Officer of Sydney Community Forum, Credit: Sydney Community Forum
"The only thing that will be stopped is our ability to provide support for international students facing these crisis," she said.
“Hundreds of students rely on us for support with issues like accessing affordable and safe accommodation, access to healthcare, workplace exploitation and concerns related to visa status.
“The international education sector contributed more than $11.4 billion to the NSW economy in 2020, and international students supported the state’s economy by taking up more than 95,000 full-time equivalent jobs," she added.
Indian student Abhishek's struggle as a tenant
Abhishek Singh, a 29-year-old social worker, has struggled to find a "livable and affordable" home in Sydney.
Abhishek Singh currently lives in Sydney. Credit: Abhishek Singh
"There were 7-8 people living in a very shabby, rodent-infested house, and when I complained about it to the owner, I was threatened with eviction," he recalled.
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"One of my friends called me and said the house owner had asked him to remove my stuff since [the owner] had given the room to him. I was shocked and had nowhere to turn," Mr Singh said.
"I approached the IAR service with some information about it and they helped me," he said, adding that housing stress was a major issue alongside cost of living and discrimination in the job market.
He said the IAR supported him to contest an illegal one-day eviction notice, but added that many international students may not know where to seek assistance during a crisis.
"Because I knew a few people [at IAR], I was able to seek help. My landlord had to give me a month's notice to vacate," he said.
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What other services are available for the cohort?
In an email to SBS Hindi, the NSW government said the IAR was funded during the COVID-19 pandemic to offer international support during a heightened time of need.
"The Department () understands the importance of safety net services and Study NSW will continue to partner with organisations to provide a range of services to support international students, including the international student legal service and for International Students," the state government added.
Other support services available for international students include
