Academic Journal
COVID-19 and aggravated housing precarity for international students: an Australian case study
| Title: | COVID-19 and aggravated housing precarity for international students: an Australian case study |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Jin Zhu, Hal Pawson, Shenjing He, Bingqin Li |
| Source: | International Journal of Housing Policy. 24:344-371 |
| Publisher Information: | Informa UK Limited, 2024. |
| Publication Year: | 2024 |
| Subject Terms: | anzsrc-for: 3801 Applied Economics, anzsrc-for: 4407 Policy and administration, 3801 Applied Economics, anzsrc-for: 38 Economics, 38 Economics, anzsrc-for: 3304 Urban and regional planning |
| Description: | Housing experience of international students has attracted increasing academic attention in recent years. Australia’s large international student population is largely reliant on lightly-regulated private rental housing, a market sector subject to extreme turbulence during COVID-19. However, while aspects of Australian student housing stress during the pandemic have been already investigated, the specific issues affecting a substantial component of the broader cohort have yet to be examined. Around 130,000 Australian international students were stranded overseas for two years (2020-22) by international border closures. Their experiences cast new light on vulnerable renter precarity in lightly-regulated markets. Via an online survey and in-depth interviews, this paper examines the challenges posed for stranded international students in terms of their Australian tenancies, and how these were handled. Three main findings emerge: 1) uncertainty deriving from travel restrictions reduced student bargaining power in the rental market; 2) inability to terminate leases, unfavourable rent negotiation outcomes and welfare exclusion caused serious financial stress; and 3) widespread subletting exposed students to eviction and exploitation. These findings foreground important downsides of Australia’s long-existing neoliberal university regime and inadequate student housing provision that endanger the fundamental purposes of higher education, and risk tarnishing Australia’s reputation as an international student destination. |
| Document Type: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| ISSN: | 1949-1255 1949-1247 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/19491247.2024.2339441 |
| Rights: | CC BY NC |
| Accession Number: | edsair.doi.dedup.....fde63e47563b6918d85ff7b435d9d86c |
| Database: | OpenAIRE |
| ISSN: | 19491255 19491247 |
|---|---|
| DOI: | 10.1080/19491247.2024.2339441 |