RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – Indonesia is taking a strategic step to expand opportunities for its vocational graduates through a new labor cooperation agreement with Albania, aimed at supporting the government’s flagship SMK Go Global program.

The partnership was formalized with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on migrant worker placement and protection between Minister of Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection Mukhtarudin and Albanian Minister of Economy and Innovation Delina Ibrahimaj in Jakarta on Thursday, July 30, 2026.

Minister Mukhtarudin emphasized that the initiative aligns with President Prabowo Subianto’s directive to ensure vocational graduates gain access to international job markets.

“In the near future, we expect placements of Indonesian migrant workers in Albania, particularly under the SMK Go Global program,” he said, as quoted by Antara.

The agreement focuses on sending skilled workers for formal, non-domestic sectors, marking Indonesia’s commitment to shift from low-skilled placements toward medium- and high-skilled employment.

Beyond recruitment, the MoU also strengthens bilateral cooperation in safeguarding Indonesian workers before, during, and after their overseas assignments.

Although the number of Indonesians currently working in Albania remains small, Minister Mukhtarudin noted that the pact demonstrates both countries’ seriousness in building a structured framework for labor mobility.

The signing also serves as a follow-up to President Prabowo’s visit to Albania in July 2024, when he met Prime Minister Edi Rama and President Bajram Begaj.

The SMK Go Global program provides vocational graduates with skills training, international certification, and foreign language courses to prepare them for safe and legal employment abroad. Through this initiative, the Ministry targets the placement of 40,000 Indonesian migrant workers overseas this year.

This development highlights Indonesia’s dual focus on expanding skilled labor markets, strengthening worker protection, and advancing vocational graduates globally. ***