RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection (P2MI) has urged the public to remain vigilant against fraudulent overseas job recruitment practices, highlighting the risks faced by workers lured into non-procedural placements.

Director General of Migrant Worker Protection, Rinardi, stressed that prospective migrant workers must ensure all placement processes follow official procedures.

“We call on Indonesian migrant worker candidates to verify that every step of their placement is conducted properly,” he said in a statement released in Jakarta on Monday, March 9, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

He explained that job orders and placement legality can be checked through the government’s official portal, https://siskop2mi.bp2mi.go.id.

He also reminded the public that the government continues to enforce a moratorium on sending domestic-sector workers to several Middle Eastern countries, including Libya, due to persistent legal disputes and difficulties in repatriation.

Reports from the Indonesian embassy in Tripoli reveal a rise in irregular departures to Libya, often involving deceptive recruitment practices.

Many workers were initially promised jobs in the United Arab Emirates or Turkey, only to be rerouted through transit hubs like Dubai or Istanbul and sent instead to Tripoli or Benghazi. Once in Libya, they faced exploitative conditions and disputes with employers, prompting some to seek refuge at the embassy.

The challenges extend beyond employment. Returning home is often complicated by administrative requirements such as valid passports, residence permits, and exit permits.

Workers also face financial burdens, including monthly foreign resident taxes of 75 Libyan dinars, exit permit fees of around 555 dinars, and compensation demands from employers ranging between USD 5,000–7,000 for early contract termination. Combined, repatriation costs can exceed IDR 100 million per person and take months to process.

Rinardi urged Indonesians in transit hubs to be cautious. “If asked to continue a flight to Libya, immediately refuse and seek assistance from airport officials to contact the Indonesian consulate in Dubai or Istanbul for protection,” he said.

The ministry’s warning underscores the importance of procedural safeguards as Indonesia works to protect its citizens from exploitation abroad. ***