Work & Travel companies report rising number of returning students

The rate of students who return home from Work and Travel arrangements in the United States upon the expiry of their work contracts has risen this year by nearly 10 percent, being greater than in Romania, Info-Prim Neo reports. Five companies providing jobs in the US through W&T programs held a news conference on Wednesday to report that only 15 to 20 percent of the beneficiaries chose to remain illegally in the United States, compared to 30 percent last year. However, the recruiters admitted that nationally, taking into account the W&T companies blacklisted by the US Embassy one year ago, the number of 'fugitive' students could be greater, with some press reports indicating a rate as high as 40 percent. According to Dumitru Jioara, the director of a recruitment company called IERA, officials from the US Consulate have neither confirmed nor infirmed any of these figures, saying data is still being processed. Asked to comment on a potential impact of the global financial crisis on the fate of W&T workers, Nicolae Patlati of Student Adventure said Moldovan students would not be affected, because their American employers have already signed the contracts and thus must fulfill their contractual obligations. The Moldovan recruiters are opening the door to the America to Moldovan students for a fee of around $3,000, which includes assistance with the work contract, health insurance, taxes and airfares.