Indonesian Officials Push for Safer Migrant Worker Placement Systems

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Commission VII lawmaker Lamhot Sinaga has voiced support for strengthening the governance of Indonesian migrant workers through collaboration among the Ministry of the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI), the Banten Provincial Administration, and PT Krakatau Steel.

Lamhot welcomed the initiative, saying it would expand access to employment and protection for migrant workers. He described the cross-agency effort as a strategic step toward building a safer and more competitive placement ecosystem.

“This collaboration is a concrete example of how the government, industry, and community organizations can work together to create a safe, professional, and globally competitive migrant worker ecosystem,” said Lamhot, who also chairs the Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University Alumni Association (IKA UNTIRTA), at the P2MI office in Jakarta on Thursday, June 18, 2026.

He noted that Indonesia has the potential to supply labor to international markets, but workers must develop skills to meet global industry demands through official and protected channels.

“Indonesia has vast human resources. The challenge is ensuring they possess the competencies needed by the global industry and that they travel through official and protected channels,” he said.

Meanwhile, P2MI Minister Mukhtarudin stated that international job opportunities for Indonesian workers remain wide open, with hundreds of thousands of positions yet to be filled.

Between January 2025 and June 12, 2026, P2MI facilitated 433,169 placement services for Indonesian migrant workers. The five main destination countries are Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, and Singapore.

As of June 13, 2026, the Overseas Job Opportunity Information System (SIP2MI) recorded 313,803 available overseas job opportunities. However, only 76,907 positions, or about 24.51 percent, have been filled.

“There are still 236,896 job opportunities open. This presents a significant opportunity for competent Indonesian workers,” Minister Mukhtarudin said.

He emphasized that collaboration with the Banten Provincial Administration, Krakatau Steel, and IKA UNTIRTA aims to build a safe and integrated migration ecosystem. This includes improving information and training, as well as empowering migrant workers upon their return.

Banten Governor Andra Soni welcomed the synergy, saying it would boost regional competitiveness on the global stage.

“In accordance with the President’s directive, we hope that more Indonesian migrant workers from Banten will be trained, educated, and placed through official mechanisms in the coming years,” Andra said.

The parties agreed to strengthen their agendas on job information, training, placement services, and the empowerment of retired migrant workers. The initiative also aligns with the government’s “SMK Go Global” program, which aims to place 500,000 skilled vocational school graduates abroad by 2029.

“Alumni have a social responsibility to help ensure the younger generation has access to broader opportunities. This collaboration must become a real initiative, not just paperwork,” Lamhot said.

He hopes that the partnership will strengthen the governance of Indonesian migrant workers in a professional and sustainable manner, while increasing the global contribution of the Indonesian workforce. (Misni Parjiati)