SISTER BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – Door County’s busy tourism season is underway, but a pause on visa interviews for international students is leaving some local businesses in limbo.
Joan Hutchinson, general manager at Pheasant Park Resort in Sister Bay, says she hired nine international students through the J-1 visa program this year, with workers coming from Mongolia, Romania, Ecuador, Taiwan and Turkey.
But several of those students are still waiting on visa approvals, and some haven’t even had their interviews scheduled yet.
“I’ve had one that’s had her appointment and still hasn’t heard back,” Hutchinson said. “Another one doesn’t even have her interview until June 10th.”
The delays are already affecting operations at the 58-unit resort. Hutchinson says she’s had to block off rooms from being rented because she doesn’t have enough staff to clean them.
“That’s a huge problem when you consider the majority of our income comes between June 15th and September 1st,” she said.
The uncertainty is also weighing heavily on the students who take part in the cultural exchange program.
“It takes time and I have to pay more money to get a visa or go through the agency,” said Tergel Njaykhlant, a worker from Mongolia. “It’s a lot.”
Others worry about what happens if they’re denied after investing hundreds of dollars.
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“If they weren’t able to get the visa, it’s probably sad because it’s a way to make new friends,” said student Nomund Uluum Nyamsren. “It’s not all about money, work, job — it’s a cultural exchange, new experience, new people. That’s it.”
The U.S. State Department has not said how long the pause on visa appointments could last. For Door County businesses like Pheasant Park, the clock is ticking.
