“We are committed to continuing coordination to realize the great ideals of Indonesian migrant workers: departing with honor, working safely, and returning home prosperously,” deputy for coordination of community economic empowerment and migrant worker protection at the Coordinating Ministry for Community Empowerment, Leontinus Alpha Edison, said in Jakarta on Monday.
He made the statement during a meeting with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arif Havas Oegroseno, at the Foreign Ministry’s office.
According to Edison, protecting Indonesian migrant workers requires synergy and collaboration across ministries and agencies.
“The Coordinating Ministry for Community Empowerment believes that protecting Indonesian migrant workers cannot be done in isolation,” he said.
“There must be solid policy orchestration from upstream to downstream. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all Indonesian missions abroad are our key strategic partners on the front lines,” he added.
Strong collaboration between domestic institutions and overseas missions is essential to ensuring that every Indonesian working abroad receives full rights and protection, he said.
The government is also committed to expanding outreach to prospective migrant workers regarding legal recruitment channels, preparation steps, and official placement schemes—so they don’t fall victim to crime or exploitation.
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Meanwhile, Deputy Minister Oegroseno expressed the Foreign Ministry’s readiness to strengthen cooperation.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs fully supports this synergy initiative. It aligns with one of Indonesia’s diplomatic priorities: protecting Indonesian citizens,” he said.
“The challenges in the field are dynamic. With standardized, integrated governance, we are confident that our diplomats worldwide can provide more effective and efficient services,” he added.
The ministry is also committed to supporting G-to-G (government-to-government) diplomacy to expand employment opportunities for Specific Skilled Workers (SSWs) in countries such as Japan, Germany, and across the EU.
The meeting also resulted in a collaborative framework that will provide comprehensive support to Indonesian migrant workers.
The synergy will begin from the earliest stages, including workforce preparation, job fairs, and targeted job canvassing.
In the pre-placement phase, prospective migrant workers will undergo vocational and language training, with efforts to ensure affordable placement costs and better access to financing such as People's Business Credit (KUR).
During the placement phase in the destination country, the focus will shift to ensuring workers are safe and productive, supported by financial literacy programs and health insurance.
The protection cycle concludes with a post-placement phase, where workers will be connected to reintegration programs, including MSME incubation, to empower migrant villages in their home regions.
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Translator: Arie Novarina
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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