Indonesia Urged to Simplify Migrant Worker Placement System

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - A simpler and more transparent migrant worker placement system could help Indonesia steer prospective migrant workers toward verified legal employment while reducing their exposure to recruitment scams and illegal channels.

Migrant Watch Executive Director Aznil Tan urged the government to overhaul Indonesia's training and placement system for Indonesian migrant workers (PMI), saying the current scheme is complicated and could encourage prospective migrant workers (CPMI) to choose illegal routes.

He said the training and placement system should be made as simple as possible so that CPMI would choose official, verified channels rather than illegal ones.

"Strengthen risk-based supervision and ensure that all information on jobs, costs and contracts can be verified by CPMI. Job vacancy information must also be easy and quick to check to prevent fraud and recruitment schemes from the outset," Aznil said in Jakarta on Thursday, September 17, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

According to Aznil, the main weakness in the PMI placement system is the large number of procedures that make simple matters complicated. Meanwhile, regulations and practices in the field are often not integrated.

He urged the government to move away from a case-by-case approach because migrant worker issues have become structural, requiring a practical, transparent and fully digitalized placement system.

Aznil stressed that the government needs to build a practical system to prevent prospective migrant workers from using illegal routes when leaving for jobs abroad.

"Do not let the system created by the state be less practical than illegal methods, causing CPMI to choose illegal routes," he said.

Aznil identified two key tasks for the government to improve Indonesia's migrant labor system. First, the government needs to establish a simple, practical and transparent PMI placement system that provides protection.

Second, the government needs to develop a fast, responsive and effective protection and assistance system for PMI who encounter problems.

"If these two things work, I am confident Indonesia's global labor sector will become vibrant and dignified. PMI will be comfortable and prosperous. Indonesia's economy will also grow," he continued.

Aznil also said CPMI training should shift from a training-based approach to a competency-based system. Competencies should first be identified and tested: those who do not meet the standards should receive training, those who are competent should be certified, while competency gaps should be addressed.

Regarding destination countries, Aznil said the government needs to ensure that host countries provide decent employment, comprehensive protection of workers' rights and consistent implementation of these principles, as migration is a human right.

For CPMI, Aznil stressed the importance of ensuring that employment contracts are clear and immigration status is legal before departure so that legal protection is secured from the beginning of the placement. ***