By Carey Lin

While the government continuously postpones the end of the city’s lockdown, confidence in official reports and statements are on the decline. Government responses to the Covid-19 pandemic has brought upon pressing concerns and uncertainties that directly impact internationals who have come to the United States for school or work. 

As graduation day approaches, the impact of Covid-19 on college graduates transitioning into the next phase of their lives has made things especially difficult. Instead of beginning a new journey of post-graduate work, many are seeking refuge at home. While this is a logical response for most, it is a far more complex dilemma for international students.

Jack Fan, a 21-year-old student from China , just completed his undergraduate Computer Science degree from Northeastern University. He had planned to attend graduate school in the fall, but due to the pandemic, he may not be able to.

“The University of Virginia actually told me that I can defer if I can’t get my visa,” Fan said. “Or if I want to defer to start in the spring. They didn’t say the specifics. They said I could but said to also wait for further instructions if I don’t get my visa.” 

Currently, there is a suspension on visa processing, and Jack’s original plan to attend graduate school has been delayed. “My original plan was to go home after graduating in May and applying for the visa in the U.S. Embassy in Beijing,” Fan said. However, he is still in the U.S., and Jack said that he expects to return to China. “Maybe I can go back home after applying for the visa,” he said. “I’m optimistic that the embassy will open after June.” 

For international students who intend to find a job in the United States,  they must file for an “Optional Practical Training” (OPT) as an extension to their F-1 visa status, and receive an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) before they can begin to work in the U.S. They have 90 days to look for work, or will otherwise have to leave the country. Those who applied for OPT in February usually receive their card around this time of the year. 

Marilynne Cheng, 22, from Hong Kong, graduates from Boston University this month with a degree in Advertising.   As a second semester senior, she had been applying for jobs long before the pandemic began. “It was a struggle to find a job before the pandemic [as an international], but I was still hopeful,” she said. “And then everything changed.”

She had successfully landed some interviews, but in the end, the recruiters would prefer to hire someone they do not have to sponsor. “It was super annoying that I get on the second or third round interview and then after the mention of OPT they would just ghost me,” Cheng said.

Since the pandemic began in the U.S., Cheng has slowed down her job hunt. Her OPT application has been approved, however she has yet to receive her EAD card. Without it, she may not be able to re-enter the U.S. within the card’s valid date. As the pandemic worsens in the U.S. she fears the pandemic will not end in time for her to find a job in time before the 90-day period ends. For this reason, Cheng will be flying back to Hong Kong once her finals are over. “I’m just trying to think that I am already luckier than most,” she said. “On the bright side, everything could be way worse. The fact that I have the resources to go home is already privileged already.” 

Another recent graduate from Boston University, Claire Yu, 22, from Taiwan, also faces the dilemma of returning home. Yu already received her EAD card and has a job lined up in August. Since the pandemic began, Yu had planned to return to Taiwan late May to visit. “So I was initially thinking [to leave] late May, because I feel like COVID might have gone down by then a little from its peak, and quarantine might have let up a little,” she said. “But now because of my grandmother, I’m planning to leave right after finals end for me on the seventh, so I might leave on May 9.” 

However, as a result of Covid-19, international flight restrictions pose many difficulties logistically and financially. “When you fly back to Asia, it’s usually about 20 hours,” Yu said. “But now only [a couple] airlines fly, and it will take 45-plus hours to get home and transfer from Boston to Dallas, Dallas to Tokyo, and Tokyo to Taipei. I feel like this will expose me to a lot more risk of infection.” And it is not only a dangerous health risk flying now, but expensive too. “The cheapest ticket I can find is $1,200 two-way but the outbound flight will be 45-plus hours,”  she said. 

Claire’s friend, Roxanne Chang, has also been trying to go back to Taiwan. Despite being an American citizen, she grew up and lives in Taiwan. Deciding to go home was not a difficult choice, but doing so has been a challenge. “Even going home has been so hard,” she said. “My flight got cancelled like three times. I was supposed to fly out tomorrow, and then it got cancelled two days ago. So I have to fly out next week. It’s been awful, but I’m like super blessed because I have friends in Boston that I can stay with.”