SUMMER WORK AND TRAVEL: VIEWS FROM CENTRAL ASIA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ASTANA 001015

SIPDIS

FRANKFURT FOR RCO

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: CVIS KFRD KZ KG TJ UZ TX
SUBJECT: SUMMER WORK AND TRAVEL: VIEWS FROM CENTRAL ASIA

ASTANA 00001015 001.2 OF 003




1. SUMMARY. The Summer Work and Travel (SWT) programs of Central
Asia are all tiny compared to our neighbor to the north.
Nonetheless, the countries of Central Asia each have interesting
insights into the program. There are few commonalities among SWT
experiences in the region, which is not surprising given the
tremendous variance from country to country in consular portfolios
and visa issues in general. Refusal and non-return rates differ, as
do program concerns and sheer size. What the region offers is a
study in programs at various stages of development, from the
well-established to almost non-existent. The following is a
country-by-country overview of SWT programs and issues in Central
Asia. END SUMMARY.

-------------- -
KAZAKHSTAN'S NUMBERS PLUNGE
-------------- -


2. After several years of rapid growth, the number of Kazakhstanis
participating in the SWT program plunged by 47% in 2009, presumably
due to the world financial situation. In 2008, almost 4300 students
applied for the program. This year, Astana and Almaty processed
only 2263 SWT applications. Anecdotally, concern over finding good
jobs in the U.S. has kept some students away. Devaluation of the
Kazakhstani currency has also made it more expensive for students to
participate. Astana, despite processing half the number of overall
nonimmigrant visa (NIV) applications as Almaty, continues to handle
about 55% of SWT workload. The two consular sections felt the
reduced number of 2009 applications proportionately.


3. The refusal rate for SWT applicants was 9%, up slightly from

2008. Almost all of the non-qualified applicants were graduating
students. A validation study conducted after the 2008 season showed
a 7% non-return rate for Kazakhstani SWT participants. Most of the
students who stayed in the U.S. beyond the summer legally changed
status, primarily to F1. Fraud in the program exists but is not
widespread. The most serious fraud case post encountered involved a
pair of coordinators from a newly-founded, independent agency who
arranged for fake student documents to make themselves and two of
their 17 clients appear eligible for the program despite the fact
they had already graduated from university.


4. The vast majority of Kazakhstani SWT participants return home on
time and report having good experiences in America. The number of
students who participate for a second time is high. Popular
destinations include Pensacola, Ocean City, Virginia Beach, the New
Jersey shore, Alaska fisheries, and McDonald's restaurants in the
Yellowstone area. About forty Kazakhstani students worked last
year for Century Pool Management and are still owed back wages from
the bankrupt company. Their plight has received attention from the
Kazakhstani Embassy in Washington and the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in Astana.

--------------
KYRGYZSTAN - IT'S CERTAINLY NO KAZAKHSTAN
--------------


5. Where other sectors of the world economy record slumps in the
past two years, SWT programs in Kyrgyzstan grow in leaps and bounds.
FY 2008 reported a 275% increase in the number of applicants
compared to the previous year. Even in the face of the current
economic crisis, SWT applications for FY 2009 have decreased an
estimated 13% only compared to the near 50% decreases reported in
other neighboring Central Asian countries. However post finds this
year that many of the applicants cannot speak sufficient English to
perform their chosen jobs - especially for the most popular job of
lifeguard - or do not have realistic plans about their ability to
support themselves once in the United States and earning minimum
wage. This is evidenced by the high number of applicants seeking to
work in Manhattan. Validation studies done for 100% of applicants
for the past two years show that 25% - 35% of Kyrgyz SWT students
fail to return at the season's end. One would expect that the
population of overstays would come from economically disadvantaged
areas and lesser known universities, but the vast majority of
overstays are students at the most prestigious universities in
Kyrgyzstan - American University of Central Asia being the main
source. F1 visa applications in Kyrgyzstan have a high (almost 55%)
refusal rate. In FY 2008, 50% of overstays changed to F1 status at
various community colleges and evaded review by a consular officer
regarding their intent to immigrate.


6. Traditionally post experienced low fraud in SWT recruiters until
this year. One recruiting company, owned and operated by a
Kyrgyz-American citizen, was found to be providing forged student
documents to many of their applicants and is now under investigation
by Kyrgyz and U.S. authorities. Another company - whose students
have yet to be interviewed as of this date - is owned and operated
by a Nigerian national and has presented highly suspect job offers

ASTANA 00001015 002.2 OF 003


with each applicant. Students are charged an average of $1200 -
$1500 US for the privilege of looking for SWT jobs and receiving the
necessary DS 2019 form. Post surveyed students the past two years
and discovered that these fees do not include airfare and do not
provide any refunds other than the MRV fee should students be denied
a visa. Considering that a "good" salary in Bishkek is $500 a
month, SWT fees represent a huge burden for parents and students.
Last year, post refused an estimated 32.5% of SWT applicants and has
refused 40.7% of SWT applicants this year to date.


7. COMMENT: Kyrgyzstan occupies a unique place in SWT programs for
the region. As remarked in a recent Central Asian Fraud Conference:
"It's not [as economically depressed as] Tajikistan but it's
certainly no Kazakhstan either." Post has found only one reliable
recruiter amongst the eight companies currently operating. The
program is advertised to students as a quick way to earn thousands
of dollars in a short time. Post has seen little oversight of the
U.S. recruiting companies over their local offices. Post raised
concerns over the high SWT costs for such a poor country, but U.S.
companies replied that fees are determined by the local offices at
their discretion. Given the relatively high rate of overstays, post
is forced to devote more resources and interview time to this
program. SWT represents almost 30% of post's annual visa workload
and is processed in a mere two or three months placing added burdens
on a small, one-officer section. Given the limitations of one
officer interviewing all 900+ applicants, not all intending
immigrants will be detected. The ability of SWT students to change
to F1 status only encourages Kyrgyz students not to return at the
end of the summer as they pursue their dreams of living in America.
Thus, what is intended as a summer work and travel program is viewed
by many prospective Kyrgyz participants as a summer work and stay
for study program.

-------------- --------------
TAJIKISTAN - GROWING SLOWLY, MAYBE MORE NEXT YEAR
-------------- --------------


8. This current SWT season, Dushanbe received 136 applications from
six different recruiting agencies. Of these, 121 visas were granted
while 15 were refused. The number of applicants is only slightly
higher than the 110 applications received last year, the first year
for Summer Work and Travel in Tajikistan. The overstay rate from
the 2008 program was 11% based on a validation study conducted as of
November 2008.


9. In the beginning of this calendar year, Dushanbe expected a
dramatic increase in number of SWT applicants based on the
predictions of recruiting agencies. However, closer to the dates of
visa interviews it became clear that the number of applicants was
only slightly more than last year. Representatives explained that
many students expressed their interest in participation, but far
fewer actually ended up applying for the program, possibly a
reflection of difficult economic circumstances in the country that
could make upfront costs prohibitive. There may also have been
issues related to facilitating agencies receiving DS2019s in a
timely way (something post intends to check into) which caused
agencies to end recruiting earlier than expected.


10. To address fraud concerns, the consular section instituted a
requirement that all SWT agencies submit documents at least one week
in advance of the interview. This allows the Fraud Prevention Unit
(FPU) time to prescreen applications and supporting documents and
detect trends which are difficult to see on the visa line. Post was
strict with the English language requirement both in 2008 and 2009.
As the overall economic situation in Tajikistan continues to
deteriorate, there is concern that SWT will be used as a means to
seek a better economic opportunities. Post did notice some increase
in number of SWT applicants from poor regions of Tajikistan this
year.


11. In an effort to get a message to the participants that the first
point of contact for them should be the U.S. sponsor if there are
difficulties, Post developed a SWT handout which described rules and
policies of the program and included Tajik Embassy contact
information in the U.S. Handouts were distributed to all issued
applicants.


12. Sizable groups of SWT applicants from Tajikistan were placed in
the same jobs, including pedicab drivers in San Diego, fish factory
workers in Alaska, and cleaning staff in a particular hotel in the
Outer Banks. This leads the consular officer to wonder whether it
is a true SWT experience if students tend to remain with and depend
heavily on their friends from their home country. Nevertheless the
overall caliber of applicants seemed to have improved from the
previous year, including that of the more rural candidates. Post
plans to meet again with facilitating agencies and to conduct
another SWT validation study during this second year of the program
to gain insight into how successfully - or not - the program is

ASTANA 00001015 003.2 OF 003


working in the poorest of the 'stans.

--------------
TURKMENISTAN - A UNIQUE PLACE
--------------


13. Citizens of Turkmenistan applying for the SWT program present a
unique challenge to adjudicators since so many Turkmen citizens
study abroad: they are either applying where they study, making it
difficult to evaluate their ties to Turkmenistan, or return to
Turkmenistan solely to apply for the visa, making it difficult to
evaluate their academic credentials. Of those who apply in
Ashgabat, many have recent refusals in the country where they are
studying, and others assume that their chances are better applying
in their home country.


14. Ashgabat saw two applicants in summer 2009, and issued both.
One is studying in Turkey who had traveled to Australia in the past
on a similar program (and whose family is well-established). The
second studies in Ukraine and was refused in Kyiv prior to her
application in Ashgabat. This applicant benefited from excellent
CCD notes from Kyiv that attested to her academic credentials. In
the context of Turkmenistan, her family situation was significant
enough to overcome 214(b),but this would have been nearly
impossible for a consular officer in Ukraine to determine, lacking
the local context. Post plans to follow-up with both students once
the program is over.


15. In the summer of 2007, issued five SWT visas. All five
successful applicants were studying in Turkey. One of them
overstayed, and one of them did not complete the program, rather, he
returned to Turkey because "he did not like the United States." In
the summer of 2008, post interviewed nine SWT applicants, issuing
four of them. Post did not conduct a validation study after the
2008 season. Again, all applicants were studying in Turkey at the
time of their application.

--------------
UZBEKISTAN - IMPROVING NON-RETURN RATE
--------------


16. Tashkent issued 226 SWT visas in 2009, the same number as in

2008. Refusal rates also remained steady at about 45%. Post's
validation study of the 2008 program confirmed an overstay rate of
13 percent, down slightly from 17 percent in 2007, and down
significantly from 43 percent in 2006, despite more issuances for

2008. These figures suggest that post has been doing a more
effective job of screening and issuing qualified SWT applicants.


17. Tashkent's ability to conduct SWT outreach is limited due to
local government roadblocks, suspicion of US travel on the part of
university officials, and a history of fraud among local SWT
facilitators. We have conducted some outreach through presentations
at the Embassy and one local university. However, most university
officials do not wish to engage with the US embassy on this topic.
In fact, students themselves have expressed that they do not inform
university officials and at times even attempt to conceal their
participation in the program for fear of repercussions following
their return from the US.


18. Additionally, post lacks contacts with reliable, proven SWT
facilitators. The local SWT companies open and close frequently;
therefore cultivating these contacts is currently not feasible.
Likewise a history of fraud among several facilitators makes it more
difficult to engage with unproven facilitators.


19. In the current year due to the economic situation in the US,
Tashkent's adjudicating officers have been even more discerning than
last year. We learned during a panel of SWT returnees from last year
that getting a second or third job during the program is not
uncommon. For many Uzbek students, this program is not only a way
to travel, but also a means to make money to bring home funds to
their families. While we do not have the final figures yet for
issuances this year, we were attempting to be more strict on the
financial ties this year and most likely our refusal rate will
reflect these higher standards.


20. Almaty would like to thank Joe Chamberlain in Ashgabat, John
Lankenau in Astana, Valerie Chittenden in Bishkek, Elisabeth Wilson
in Dushanbe and Cynthia Day in Tashkent for their contributions.


HOAGLAND