Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09SARAJEVO480
2009-04-16 11:54:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Sarajevo
Cable title:
Sarajevo Work and Travel visa validation study
how-toVZCZCXRO1481 RR RUEHPOD DE RUEHVJ #0480 1061154 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 161154Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY SARAJEVO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0053 RUEHPS/AMEMBASSY PRISTINA 0181 RUEHPOD/AMEMBASSY PODGORICA 0060 RUEHVB/AMEMBASSY ZAGREB 0603 RUEHTI/AMEMBASSY TIRANA 0167 RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 0079 RUEHSF/AMEMBASSY SOFIA 0062 RUEHLJ/AMEMBASSY LJUBLJANA 0109 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 0180 RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 0326 RUEHSQ/AMEMBASSY SKOPJE 0296 RUEHPNH/NVC PORTSMOUTH 0026
UNCLAS SARAJEVO 000480
DEPT FOR CA/EX,CA/FPP, CA/VO, AND EUR/SCE (MIKE FOOKS); DEPT ALSO
PASS TO KCC; POSTS FOR FRAUD PREVENTION MANAGERS; VIENNA FOR DHS
MARLA BELVEDERE; DEPT ALSO PASS TO DHS SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFRD CVIS CMGT CPAS ASEC BK
SUBJECT: Sarajevo Work and Travel visa validation study
REF: Sarajevo 00000464
UNCLAS SARAJEVO 000480
DEPT FOR CA/EX,CA/FPP, CA/VO, AND EUR/SCE (MIKE FOOKS); DEPT ALSO
PASS TO KCC; POSTS FOR FRAUD PREVENTION MANAGERS; VIENNA FOR DHS
MARLA BELVEDERE; DEPT ALSO PASS TO DHS SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFRD CVIS CMGT CPAS ASEC BK
SUBJECT: Sarajevo Work and Travel visa validation study
REF: Sarajevo 00000464
1. [Summary] Sarajevo FPU recently completed a validation study
for all J1 Summer Work and Travel cases that post issued in 2008. A
solid 96% of issued applicants returned, with only four percent
remaining in America [End of Summary]
2. Methodology: Our Fraud Prevention Unit took all 78 issued J1 work
and travel cases from 2008 as a sample for this validation study.
Our FPU called the applicants' homes and reviewed SEVIS and ADIS
records.
3. Findings: our study revealed that 75 (96%) of the issued
applicants returned to Bosnia while 3 (4%) remained in the U.S. Most
of our work and travel issuances were to 52 (67%) males. Of the 26
females, two remained in the U.S. to pursue romantic interests (one
married).
5. Our Summer work and travel participants overwhelmingly came from
the Republika Srpska (79%),while 19% of the participants came from
the Bosnian Federation, and 2% from the Brcko district. In the
United States, the participants were largely placed in the
Northeast, with the two most popular states being New Jersey and
Maryland.
6. Almost 70% of the participants stated they were completely
satisfied with the program. They did not have any complaints or
comments. Those that were not satisfied with the program usually
noted the long working hours and modest pay. One of the students
stated he earned so little that he could hardly pay off the 3,000
konvertible marks ($2,600) he paid to an agency in Bosnia. One
person said that her employer tried to cheat and underpay all the
work and travel participants. Others said that the company they
worked for went bankrupt and failed to pay them two months salary.
7. [Comment] FPU believes that the large percentage of participants
from Republika Srpska is due to the growing presence of Serbian
based agents and agencies involved with the work and travel program.
Additionally, our applicant pool would likely be larger if local
universities received state accreditation that would allow them to
participate in the progam. [End comment]
8. In contrast to the return rate from our recently completed
Au-pair validation study, Post considers the results for the work
and travel program encouraging.
English
DEPT FOR CA/EX,CA/FPP, CA/VO, AND EUR/SCE (MIKE FOOKS); DEPT ALSO
PASS TO KCC; POSTS FOR FRAUD PREVENTION MANAGERS; VIENNA FOR DHS
MARLA BELVEDERE; DEPT ALSO PASS TO DHS SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KFRD CVIS CMGT CPAS ASEC BK
SUBJECT: Sarajevo Work and Travel visa validation study
REF: Sarajevo 00000464
1. [Summary] Sarajevo FPU recently completed a validation study
for all J1 Summer Work and Travel cases that post issued in 2008. A
solid 96% of issued applicants returned, with only four percent
remaining in America [End of Summary]
2. Methodology: Our Fraud Prevention Unit took all 78 issued J1 work
and travel cases from 2008 as a sample for this validation study.
Our FPU called the applicants' homes and reviewed SEVIS and ADIS
records.
3. Findings: our study revealed that 75 (96%) of the issued
applicants returned to Bosnia while 3 (4%) remained in the U.S. Most
of our work and travel issuances were to 52 (67%) males. Of the 26
females, two remained in the U.S. to pursue romantic interests (one
married).
5. Our Summer work and travel participants overwhelmingly came from
the Republika Srpska (79%),while 19% of the participants came from
the Bosnian Federation, and 2% from the Brcko district. In the
United States, the participants were largely placed in the
Northeast, with the two most popular states being New Jersey and
Maryland.
6. Almost 70% of the participants stated they were completely
satisfied with the program. They did not have any complaints or
comments. Those that were not satisfied with the program usually
noted the long working hours and modest pay. One of the students
stated he earned so little that he could hardly pay off the 3,000
konvertible marks ($2,600) he paid to an agency in Bosnia. One
person said that her employer tried to cheat and underpay all the
work and travel participants. Others said that the company they
worked for went bankrupt and failed to pay them two months salary.
7. [Comment] FPU believes that the large percentage of participants
from Republika Srpska is due to the growing presence of Serbian
based agents and agencies involved with the work and travel program.
Additionally, our applicant pool would likely be larger if local
universities received state accreditation that would allow them to
participate in the progam. [End comment]
8. In contrast to the return rate from our recently completed
Au-pair validation study, Post considers the results for the work
and travel program encouraging.
English