Short on Local Workers, Resorts Look Overseas

For all the noise and hot air coming from the GOP and its unloving Christianist allies about illegal aliens in the USA, the sad fact is that there is a huge demand for workers to take low paying, non-living wage jobs that American workers either will not take or do not want because of the low pay and lack of benefits. But for this constant allure of jobs that - while poor by American standards - pay better than those in their home countries, people would not run the risk of illegal entry into the USA. Locally, with the huge number of workers that are required for the summer tourism season, many local hoteliers now look overseas to get summer workers as described in this Virginian Pilot article. Not surprisingly, (1) some unscrupulous employers frequently take advantage of the summer employees and (2) often the summer workers do not want to go back to their home countries and the potential for them remaining illegally in the country is present. Here are some story highlights:

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In mid-January, David Finwall took a whirlwind tour through Bulgaria, Turkey, Russia and Ukraine to find college students to work at the Oceanfront. By the end of the two-week trip, he had hired about 250 foreign students to spend this summer working for Gold Key/PHR Hotels & Resorts, one of the city's largest hotel owners. Pursuing careers such as computer science and economics at home, they would come to Hampton Roads to cook food, carry luggage and clean toilets.

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The students come to the United States on J-1 visas through the Exchange Visitor Program, which Congress created in 1961 to enhance cultural understanding between nations. In recent years, it has morphed into a major source of labor for many employers, particularly those in the hospitality industry. . . . Busch Gardens Europe, one of the region's first employers to embrace J-1, brought in 96 students to work for the Williamsburg amusement park in 1998. This year, it expects 663.

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Critics charge that the program has little oversight and contributes to illegal immigration. "We don't have people to do these jobs," Finwall said, citing low regional unemployment. "U.S. college students do not want to come and make beds and clean toilets for $7.75 an hour." The foreign students typically earn the same hourly wage as their U.S. colleagues - around $7 or $8 an hour for most of the jobs. Employers don't provide health insurance - nor Medicare or Social Security - for J-1 workers, which saves some money. They must adhere to minimum-wage and workplace safety laws and pay unemployment.

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Unhappy students may not change prearranged employment without their sponsor's permission. Some leave their jobs anyway, violating the visa terms. If caught by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, those students could face immediate deportation and be denied future entry into this country. That also goes for students who fail to return home after four months. Those who want to stay in the States are required to go home first and apply for a different visa, though some do hire lawyers while they're here to adjust their status.