diff --git a/ojs/importers.py b/ojs/importers.py
index d12c701..fb37f82 100644
--- a/ojs/importers.py
+++ b/ojs/importers.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 from django.utils.html import strip_tags
 from django.utils.safestring import mark_safe
 from django.template.defaultfilters import linebreaksbr
+from django_countries import countries
 
 from core import models as core_models, files as core_files
 from copyediting import models as copyediting_models
@@ -1128,15 +1129,12 @@ def get_or_create_account(data, update=False):
         account.biography = data.get('bio')
         account.orcid = extract_orcid(data.get("orcid"))
 
-
+        # Assign a country if the code is recognised in ISO-3166-1
         if data.get('country'):
-            try:
-                country = core_models.Country.objects.get(
-                    code=data.get('country'))
-                account.country = country
+            valid_alpha2 = countries.alpha2(data.get('country'))
+            if valid_alpha2:
+                account.country = valid_alpha2
                 account.save()
-            except core_models.Country.DoesNotExist:
-                pass
 
         account.save()
     return account, created
diff --git a/ojs/ojs3_importers.py b/ojs/ojs3_importers.py
index c62c33b..286b960 100644
--- a/ojs/ojs3_importers.py
+++ b/ojs/ojs3_importers.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 from django.template.defaultfilters import linebreaksbr
 from django.utils import timezone
 from django.utils.html import strip_tags
+from django_countries import countries
 
 from cms import models as cms_models
 from copyediting import models as copyediting_models
@@ -653,10 +654,10 @@ def import_user(user_dict, journal):
         account.orcid = orcid
     if user_dict["disabled"] is True:
         account.active = False
+    # Assign a country if the code is recognised in ISO-3166-1
     if user_dict["country"]:
-        account.country = core_models.Country.objects.filter(
-            name=user_dict["country"]
-        ).first()
+        valid_alpha2 = countries.alpha2(user_dict['country'])
+        account.country = valid_alpha2
 
     import_user_roles(user_dict, account, journal)
     for interest in user_dict["interests"]:
diff --git a/utils.py b/utils.py
index 19020f4..21875d3 100644
--- a/utils.py
+++ b/utils.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 from django.template.defaultfilters import linebreaksbr
 from django.utils.dateparse import parse_datetime, parse_date
 from django.utils.timezone import is_aware, make_aware, now
+from django_countries import countries
 
 from core import models as core_models, files, logic as core_logic, workflow, plugin_loader
 from identifiers import models as id_models
@@ -162,11 +163,10 @@ def import_editors(request, reader):
         if not user.is_editor(request):
             user.add_account_role('editor', request.journal)
 
+
 def import_user(request, row, reset_pwd=False):
-    try:
-        country = core_models.Country.objects.get(code=row[7])
-    except core_models.Country.DoesNotExist:
-        country = None
+    # Validate country code against ISO-3166-1
+    valid_country_code = countries.alpha2(row[7])
     user, created = core_models.Account.objects.update_or_create(
         email=row[4],
         defaults={
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ def import_user(request, row, reset_pwd=False):
             'last_name': row[3],
             'department': row[5],
             'institution': row[6],
-            'country': country,
+            'country': valid_country_code,
         }
     )
     if created and reset_pwd: