Indonesia-Russia Forge New Path for Skilled Labor Cooperation

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia and Russia are set to deepen their labor cooperation, with a landmark initiative to place Indonesian vocational school graduates in high-skilled positions abroad. The agreement was underscored during a meeting between Indonesian Minister of Migrant Worker Protection, Mukhtarudin, and Russian Ambassador to Indonesia, Sergei Tolchenov, alongside Alexey B. Mirskiy, representative of RUSAL, the world’s largest aluminum producer. 

The talks took place at the Ministry’s office in South Jakarta on Monday, January 26, 2026, marking the beginning of a strategic partnership focused on sending professional and skilled Indonesian workers to Russia. Minister Mukhtarudin formally welcomed RUSAL’s plan to recruit 50 selected vocational school graduates into a high-skill development program.

“This initiative is part of our effort to enhance the global competitiveness of Indonesian workers through collaboration with international companies,” Minister Mukhtarudin said, noting that the program aligns with President Prabowo Subianto’s vision, as quoted on the Ministry's official website. 

He emphasized that the Ministry holds a full mandate to oversee the entire migrant worker cycle, from vocational training and placement to empowerment.

The Minister highlighted a shift in policy direction. “Our main focus going forward is to transition migrant worker placements from domestic sectors to professional fields requiring middle to high-level skills. Indonesia’s demographic advantage makes Russia a fitting partner to absorb this potential,” he assured.

RUSAL’s representative, Alexey Mirsky, outlined concrete plans to invite 50 top Indonesian graduates to Russia for a two-year program. The initiative includes one year of Russian language training followed by one year of technical specialization across five key sectors: construction, machinery, materials science, transportation, and electrical energy.

Upon completion, participants will be offered five-year employment contracts. “For example, welders who achieve grade 6 under Russian standards could earn up to 200,000 rubles,” Mirsky explained.

The program adopts a knowledge-sharing model: half of the participants will be placed in Russia, while the other half will return to Indonesia to work in RUSAL’s local offices or strategic projects, such as refinery development.

Responding to the proposal, Minister Mukhtarudin pledged to prepare candidates with strong foundational skills. He added that the ministry will synchronize vocational curricula, particularly in welding, to align Indonesian competency standards with Russia’s grading system.

“We will ensure our migrant workers are physically and mentally fit, with solid technical foundations,” he said.

For the 25 graduates returning to Indonesia, Mukhtarudin confirmed plans to collaborate with the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, and other agencies to guarantee their absorption into national strategic projects or Russian investments in Indonesia.

“At present, we already have MoUs with 12 ministries, including state-owned enterprises, and will soon expand into investment and downstream sectors to safeguard strategic projects,” he noted.

As a follow-up, both parties agreed to draft a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and a technical cooperation proposal. Recruitment is expected to begin before May 2026, with deployment targeted for September 2026.

The initiative is seen as part of President Prabowo Subianto’s “Quick Win” program to advance the SMK Go Global agenda, aimed at training and placing Indonesian skilled workers in international markets on a large scale and under strong protection. ***