Exploring the Impact of War on International Community College Students from Ukraine: A Case Study from Toronto

• In Event: The effects of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine on Internationalization in the post-Soviet region and Beyond (JCIHE Special Issue)

Proposal

Since the full-scale war in Ukraine began in February 2022, many Ukrainians have migrated abroad. Canada, with its tradition of welcoming refugees and other displaced persons and its large Ukrainian community, has accepted thousands of Ukrainian migrants. After arriving in Canada, some decided to enroll in community colleges to improve their labor-market skills and to facilitate their transition to life in Canada. This empirical study draws on the psychological resilience theory and the social support theory to examine the challenges these students face, the coping mechanisms they use, and the support they receive from their colleges and Canadian society. The findings reveal that the participants experience stress, anxiety, helplessness, and isolation, owing to concerns about family members in Ukraine and difficulty adapting to a foreign environment. Financial worries also loom large because of their families’ loss of property and income, as well as their limited job opportunities in Canada.

Authors

• Oleg Legusov, Seneca Polytechnic

• Oleksandr Antonenko, Seneca Polytechnic