VZCZCXRO5065
RR RUEHLN RUEHSK RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #0945/01 2171017
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 051017Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0609
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0203
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0132
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0110
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0068
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 1319

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000945 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: APER ELAB SOCI AMGT TI
SUBJECT: THE IMPACT OF LABOR MIGRATION ON EMBASSY TURNOVER 
 
REF: DUSHANBE 831 
 
DUSHANBE 00000945  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: The high rate of emigration, especially of 
those with marketable skills as reported reftel, results in a 
very high level of staff turnover at Embassy Dushanbe.  Though 
for the purposes of setting salaries we look to local employers, 
our real competitors are employers abroad, in Russia, Europe and 
even the U.S.  Our salaries are not at a level to induce people 
to remain in Tajikistan given other factors that motivate people 
to emigrate.  Key sections, in GSO for example, are virtually 
never fully staffed, and the HR section has a very high burden 
of recruitment and hiring.  We have to devote a larger than 
normal portion of our resources to training.  Over time we are 
seeing a smaller pool of candidates apply for our jobs, and the 
candidates have fewer qualifications.  Managing the Embassy in 
the face of this high turnover of local staff presents a serious 
challenge.  End Summary. 
 
 
 
¶2. (SBU) With a labor migration rate of 30% or higher of its 
working age population, Tajikistan is an extreme outlier. 
Though reliable data is sketchy, what is available suggests that 
the rate of emigration increases with the level of education and 
marketable skills.  This creates problems across all levels of 
the economy in finding and keeping qualified staff.  This does 
not just affect domestic entities, but is a problem for the U.S. 
Embassy, even though by most measures the Embassy is one of the 
most attractive employers in the country.  As is the practice 
world wide, wages are set by surveying what other similar 
employers offer in the country.  A key problem is that we don't 
compete solely or even mainly with other employers in 
Tajikistan.  We compete with employers in Russia, Europe, the 
Middle East and even the U.S.  The very highest salary available 
to a local employee at grade FS-11 is $20,000.  We don't 
actually have employees paid at that level.  The bulk of our key 
skilled staff make in the $12-14,000 range annually.  For people 
with English language and other marketable skills it is almost 
always possible to find employment outside the country that pays 
better than the Embassy.  This is true in other countries as 
well, of course, but in Tajikistan emigration is the rule now, 
rather than the exception. 
 
 
 
¶3. (SBU) As a result the Embassy has experienced a continuous 
high level of turnover that shows no sign of abating.  The 
largest group of employees in the embassy, and at the bottom of 
the pay scale, is the local guard force (LGF).  The LGF is 
virtually never fully staffed and the embassy maintains a 
continuous cycle of recruitment, hiring and training, to keep 
the local guard force operational.  We also have serious 
turnover in grades 6-8, which comprise most of our skilled 
English speaking employees.  In the last 12 months we have seen 
27 employees depart, about 10% of local staff.  Those departing 
include program managers, telephone radio tech, voucher 
examiner, accountant, cultural assistant, NIV assistant, 
purchasing agent, supply supervisor, administrative assistants, 
investigators, supervisory mechanics, etc.  In the first quarter 
of the calendar year the Management Office presented the front 
Office with a list of 16 employees who had declared their 
intention to depart the embassy in the upcoming year.  Their 
intended destinations included the U.S., Russia, Turkey, Canada, 
and sometimes Afghanistan, Iraq or Africa working as UN 
employees.  Two planned to remain in Tajikistan working for 
other international organizations.  Three got offers from 
multinational companies.  As noted reftel, it is not just higher 
wages that push people to emigrate; many also want better 
opportunities for their children.  The wages we pay do not 
overcome these factors pushing people to leave the country. 
 
 
 
¶4. (SBU) The impact on the Mission is palpable.  At any one time 
several sections are understaffed, and remaining staff are 
covering vacant positions as well as their own work.  This 
problem has been particularly acute for GSO.  Each departure can 
have a knock on effect if a replacement is hired from within, as 
is often the case.  Thus one person leaving can set off a chain 
of two, three, four or more vacancies, advertising, interviews, 
etc., as staff members move into new positions.  The Human 
Resources Office is running a constant a cycle of recruitment, 
reviewing interviewing, and hiring.  The RSO office has a heavy 
burden of employment background investigations.  U.S. 
supervisors spend a lot of time interviewing job candidates. 
Each section usually has new staff members still in the learning 
curve, and post has to spend a larger than normal chunk of our 
budget on training local staff, and on bringing in TDY staff to 
 
DUSHANBE 00000945  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
cover shortfalls.  Managing the high turnover puts extra stress 
on everyone's time, budget, and ability to accomplish their work. 
 
 
 
¶5. (SBU) Improving employment conditions to reduce turnover of 
local staff is a management priority for Embassy Dushanbe.  A 
more stable workforce would pay dividends by making it easier 
for the Mission to achieve its goals and provide stronger 
oversight of U.S. government assistance and resources. 
QUAST