RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is taking early steps to explore new labor opportunities in the Czech Republic, with Deputy Minister for Migrant Worker Protection Christina Aryani highlighting the country’s potential as a destination for skilled Indonesian workers.

Speaking in an online discussion with Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno on August 6, Christina said the initiative was prompted by information from the Indonesian Embassy in Prague regarding labor demand in several strategic sectors.

“We want to study the Czech Republic’s workforce needs while identifying areas of cooperation that can be developed,” she said, as quoted by Antara on Friday, August 7, 2026.

Although the number of Indonesian migrant workers in the Czech Republic remains small, Christina expressed optimism that placements will grow with embassy support and the opening of new opportunities. She stressed that placements must be legal, skill-based, and aligned with the host country’s labor requirements.

The Czech Republic offers several entry schemes for foreign workers, including the employee card, which combines residence and work permits under a quota system, and the blue card, designed for highly qualified professionals.

The government also runs fast-track programs to fill shortages in priority sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, hospitality, IT, healthcare, welding, and technical fields. Applicants are generally required to be polytechnic graduates, aged 21–29, and proficient in English.

Christina emphasized language skills as a key requirement. “English proficiency is one of the main requirements. This is an important note for us to ensure candidates are fully prepared with the competencies needed by the destination country,” she said.

She also introduced President Prabowo Subianto’s directive program, SMK Go Global, which aims to prepare Indonesian workers for international competitiveness.

The initiative targets not only vocational school graduates but also diploma holders, university graduates, and workers seeking to upgrade their skills. The government aims to place 500,000 Indonesian migrant workers by 2029, focusing on priority sectors such as caregiving, welding, hospitality, nursing, and truck driving.

Christina said her meeting with the embassy marked an initial step to map out cooperation opportunities. “This is an early initiative to discuss in more detail the prospects that Indonesian migrant workers can pursue in the Czech Republic,” she said.

Indonesia’s outreach reflects a strategic effort to diversify destinations for its workforce, linking national programs like SMK Go Global with emerging opportunities in Czech labor markets and strengthening its role in international workforce mobility. ***