RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is stepping up efforts to improve the protection and placement of its migrant workers, as Minister of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency Head Rachmat Pambudy met with Minister of Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Mukhtarudin in Jakarta on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

The discussion focused on following up President Prabowo Subianto’s directives to enhance protection for Indonesian migrant workers--before, during, and after employment--while also improving the quality and capacity of prospective workers through vocational education and skills upgrading.

Minister Rachmat emphasized that future placement of Indonesian migrant workers must shift toward higher-quality, value-added sectors. He stressed the need for integrated governance, ranging from strengthening data systems and human resource development to implementing village-based protection models.

“The concept of village-based protection is important because villages are the source of our workforce," Minister Rachmat explained, as quoted on the ministry's official website.

"If this model truly works, it will become a new concept in national development. Development begins in the village, but its input and opportunities can come from abroad,” the minister added.

A key priority is the development of One Data Indonesia (SDI), specifically through a One Data Migrant Worker system. This integrated database will allow the government to better map worker placements and strengthen protection mechanisms in a more effective and measurable way.

The meeting also addressed the implementation of the President’s directive through the SMK Go Global Program, which targets the deployment of 500,000 Indonesian migrant workers between 2026 and 2029.

The program aims to bridge the gap between vocational graduates and global labor market needs, with a strong focus on language proficiency and technical skills.

Minister Rachmat concluded by reaffirming the National Development Planning Agency's (Bappenas) commitment to supporting the governance of migrant workers through integrated development planning.

“Our role is to ensure that the planning we prepare can support ministries and agencies. We complement and assist so that programs that are already good can become even better,” he concluded.

This initiative reflects Indonesia’s broader ambition to position its workforce competitively in the global labor market while ensuring that protection and empowerment remain at the core of national development. ***