Kazakh MP proposes accreditation for Work and Travel agencies after US incident

September 23, 2026 at 12:19 PM1 min

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Kazakh MP Konstantin Petrov has proposed mandatory state accreditation and reserve funds for agencies organizing overseas internships and exchange programs. The initiative follows an incident in which about 200 Kazakh students were stranded in the US during a Work and Travel trip. Petrov also cited a case in Aktobe where dozens of people were given loans for non-existent tours.

Key Facts

About 200 Kazakh students were stranded in the US after organizers cancelled hotel bookings on the fifth day of a seven-day Work and Travel tour.
Each student paid $1,100 for the seven-day tour.
In Aktobe, dozens of people became victims of a pseudo-firm that issued loans for non-existent tours.
Petrov sent the proposal to Tourism and Sports Minister Yerbol Myrzabosynov and Science and Higher Education Minister Sayasat Nurbek.

Proposed Accreditation

Petrov called on the government to require agencies organizing overseas internships and exchange programs to undergo state accreditation. Agencies would also be required to sign direct contracts with officially recognized foreign host organizations. A transparent register of accredited operators would let citizens verify a company's legitimacy before signing a contract.

Financial Guarantees

Petrov proposed that organizers of international trips create targeted reserve funds or insurance products. These funds would cover emergency evacuation of citizens in case of bankruptcy or fraud abroad. He cited the US BridgeUSA system, where only State Department-accredited sponsors may run exchange programs and must provide insurance, a 24-hour emergency line, and verified employers. In the EU, the Package Travel Directive imposes strict liability on organizers and requires guarantee funds for repatriation and refunds.