Indonesian Manpower Minister M. Hanif Dhakiri has warned that illegal foreign workers or foreign personnel who violate labour rules could face immediate deportation from the country.
Minister Dhakiri has made it clear that the foreign workforce in Indonesia must comply with the nation’s rules and requirements as the government continues to monitor them closely. He further asserted that they should refer to the regulations, which include having work and stay permits, as outlined in the Manpower Ministry Ministerial Decree No. 16/2015:
“In Indonesia we have strict rules related to foreign workers. There are competency requirements and technology transfers, for example. Basically, only those with skills can come and work here,” explained Dhakiri last month as reported by The Jakarta Post.
Although the government claims not to reject an influx of foreign workforce, it demands that only those with special skills are allowed to work in Indonesia. “Unskilled workers have no place here and having them here is a violation. And we will take action against any violation, including deportation.”
The minister also said that the government keeps records of the foreign workforce, which includes their exact numbers and names. The data concomitantly suggested that there had been a minor fluctuation in the number of foreign workers from the period of 2011-2016.
In 2011, Indonesia welcomed as many as 77,307 expatriate workers but the number has decreased to 72,427 in 2012, 68,957 in 2013, and 68,762 in 2014. The number has raised slightly to 69,025 last year.
In his attempt to reinforce these regulations, Dhakiri reminded the public that they should report illegal foreign workers to local manpower offices. “If people see [illegal foreign workers or those violating the rules], please report it, and we’ll have them deported immediately. If we ourselves in the government find illegal foreign workers, we’ll also promptly have them sent home,” said Dhakiri.