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View all search resultsGovt pushes for strategic shift in migrant worker policy
Calls for reform are being reinforced by Foreign Ministry warnings over a surge in cases involving migrant workers.
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KP2MI director general Dwi Setiawan Susanto (left), Coordinating Social Empowerment Minister Muhaimin Iskandar (third left), and House of Representatives Commission VI lawmaker Rahmat Gobel (second right) attend a roundtable discussion on Indonesian migrant worker policy in Jakarta on Thursday. (JP/Divya Karyza)
G
overnment officials and lawmakers are pushing for a bold shift in Indonesia’s labor strategy, moving away from sending low-skilled workers overseas toward forging government-backed partnerships to build a skilled workforce.
The initiative aims to strengthen human capital while curbing the widespread exploitation of undocumented migrants.
In 2024, Indonesia sent 296,899 migrant workers abroad, with those in informal roles (157,182) outnumbering those in formal positions (139,717), according to the Migrant Workers Protection Agency (BP2MI).
This imbalance underscores the urgency of focusing on upskilling, so more Indonesians can compete for formal, higher-paying jobs abroad rather than remain trapped in vulnerable, low-wage work.
Rahmat Gobel, a lawmaker from House of Representatives Commission VI overseeing trade and business competition, emphasized that the priority must move beyond exporting manual labor.
“The focus should shift from sending low-skilled workers abroad to forming strategic, government-backed partnerships for quality skill development,” Rahmat said on Thursday during a panel discussion hosted by the newly established news platform Suar.
He stressed the importance of collaborating with countries such as Japan to train and deploy workers, thereby improving the quality of Indonesia’s human resources.
