“Student’s death reveals dark side of Bhutan-Japan exchange program”, 29 Dec 2019

…Sonam Tobgay…was a student in the Learn and Earn Program, an exchange program created by the Bhutanese labor ministry in 2017. Its purpose…was to enroll and employ Bhutanese youth in schools and businesses across Japan.

…[H]is death inspired hundreds of students to come forward with stories of fraud and hardship that would…slowly uncover what appears to be a duplicitous scheme to exploit foreign-exchange students for money.

Students claim Bhutan Employment Overseas — a Bhutanese immigration broker that acted as a recruiter and intermediary for the program — lied about job opportunities and burdened students with enormous debt before sending them to Japan…

…In July [2019], Bhutanese law enforcement arrested the operators of BEO for alleged corruption and forgery of documents…

…Critics say loopholes in the country [Japan]’s immigration policy are allowing rogue actors like BEO to take advantage of the system… 

…[C]oncerned parents in Bhutan formed a committee and sent representatives to Japan to meet students and conduct a survey of their experiences. After speaking to more than 600 students, the committee found that 95 percent of respondents were dealing with “serious issues” mostly related to debt, work and living conditions…

…Students say the broker demanded exorbitant fees and payments — some of which were illegal — totaling up to $1,800 per individual.  

…It is illegal for exchange students to work more than 28 hours a week. Many students say they exceeded that limit, working mostly at night while attending classes during the day… 

…At least 21 students in the program contracted tuberculosis, five of whom were hospitalized…