International students are increasingly becoming the victims of targeted scams due to accommodation shortages in Ireland.
The executive director for the Irish Council for International Students, Laura Harmon, said that the demographic contribute a significant amount of money to the Irish economy through their fees. However, she said that international students are facing the double whammy of living costs and the housing crisis when attempting to build a life here.
She said that many students are also falling victim to online sites promising affordable accommodation as a result of language barriers. She said that Gardai are aware that the problem is increasingly affecting international students here.
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Laura told Dublin Live: "We know from our own research that students are living in overcrowded or substandard conditions, particularly English language students. They face a higher risk in terms of these scams as English is often not their first language and can end up getting scammed out of a lot of money on untrustworthy sites."
She added that other pressures are piling up on international students, including food costs. Her colleagues have received reports of students relying on food banks to get by and often turn to students unions for support.
While all students are being heavily impacted by the cost of living crisis, Laura said those from abroad face unique challenges when attempting to seek help in Ireland. People can make assumptions about international students that are untrue, she added.
Laura said: "I think some people have this idea that they are quite wealthy as they can afford to study in another country But many come from developing countries and have saved their entire lives to study here, paying a lot more than their counterparts."
The director called on the goverment to invest more money in the higher education sector. A current gap in funding of around €300 million could lead to the issue remaining unresolved for the greater part of a decade.
She said that students also have faced upheaval since the lifting of the eviction ban. Young people are often unsure about their rights and she encouraged students who risk eviction to get in touch with organisations such as Threshold for further support.
Laura added: "Every college could have an allocation to give out to students in emergency accommodation. A lot of complexes are being built with luxuries like pool tables but all people need are safe, affordable places to live."
Irish legislation currently allows for students on an English language programme to work a maximum of 20 hours per week during term time. Students with a valid immigration stamp can work up to 40 hours a week only outside of the academic calendar.
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