Indonesia Targets 500,000 Skilled Migrant Workers by 2029

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian government is targeting the preparation of 500,000 skilled and competent Indonesian migrant workers for placement in various countries by 2029. The target is part of the SMK Go Global program, which was officially launched nationwide on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.

Minister of Migrant Worker Protection (P2MI) Mukhtarudin said 300,000 of the targeted migrant workers would be graduates of vocational high schools (SMK). The remaining 200,000 would come from the general public, including senior high school, diploma, and university graduates.

Mukhtarudin said the target has been divided into annual targets from 2026 to 2029. The government aims to prepare 40,000 migrant workers in 2026, followed by 140,000 in 2027, 180,000 in 2028, and 140,000 in 2029.

“On October 20, 2025, during a Plenary Cabinet Meeting, the President announced that we would prepare 500,000 migrant workers who would be ready for placement,” Mukhtarudin said at the Kick-Off of the SMK Go Global program on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.

According to him, participants will receive training to improve their technical skills, language proficiency, and professional qualifications. Upon completing the training, they are expected to possess skills that meet the requirements of the international labor market.

Mukhtarudin emphasized that the program would not merely focus on the number of participants completing the training, but also on ensuring that graduates are genuinely prepared to work overseas.

“Our target is for them to complete the program with the necessary competencies and certifications, not just certifications on paper, but certifications that can truly be accounted for,” he explained.

The SMK Go Global program is part of the government's efforts to prepare competent, professional, and globally competitive Indonesian migrant workers while expanding opportunities for them to work in formal and professional sectors overseas.