Jakarta. After ten years, Indonesia will once again send migrant workers to Saudi Arabia, following President Prabowo Subianto’s approval to lift the moratorium.

The ban, enacted in 2015 due to concerns over inadequate labor protections and frequent abuse cases, had restricted Indonesian workers from seeking employment in the kingdom. According to Minister of Migrant Worker Protection (P2MI) Abdul Kadir Karding, Saudi Arabia is currently facing a demand for approximately 600,000 workers.

Karding said Prabowo supports the lift as a means to expand job opportunities for Indonesians. He said the president is committed to improving training and preparation programs for migrant workers before their departure to Saudi Arabia.

"The president has approved lifting the moratorium on sending Indonesian migrant workers to Saudi Arabia. He has instructed us to develop a training scheme and placement system for these workers," Karding said after meeting with Prabowo at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta.

Karding acknowledged that Saudi Arabia had previously offered minimal protection for migrant workers, which led to the moratorium. "However, under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), labor protections have significantly improved," he said.

He highlighted several improvements, including a guaranteed minimum wage of 1,500 riyals ($400), as well as health, life, and employment insurance for migrant workers.

"There is also data integration. Any unregistered workers will automatically be recorded, allowing us to monitor them jointly. We are integrating their data with our computerized system, ensuring better oversight in the future," Karding said.

The government plans to resume the deployment of migrant workers to Saudi Arabia following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in March 2025 in Jeddah. The first batch of workers is expected to depart by June 2025.

Maxixe Mantofa, Deputy Chairman of the Indonesian Migrant Worker Placement Companies Association (Aspataki), criticized the moratorium, arguing that it has worsened labor conditions abroad and increased illegal migration.

"The moratorium is not an effective solution. Instead, it has driven more Indonesian workers to seek jobs abroad illegally, particularly in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries," Maxixe told Beritasatu.com.

He warned that undocumented migrant workers lack legal protections, making them vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. "Illegal workers are difficult for the government to monitor. In emergencies, such as war or accidents, the government struggles to assist them," he said.

Maxixe also highlighted the importance of improving language skills and vocational training for Indonesian migrant workers. Indonesian workers often struggle to compete with those from countries like the Philippines and Bangladesh due to language barriers.

"Our workers are highly adaptable and skilled, but they face difficulties at the start due to language constraints. Improving language proficiency is crucial for their success," he added.

The moratorium was enacted under Ministerial Decree No. 260/2015, banning the placement of Indonesian migrant workers in individual households across the Middle East due to the lack of regulations ensuring their protection. The decision was based on concerns over unresolved labor disputes and insufficient safeguards in host countries.

The affected countries included Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Mauritania, Egypt, Oman, Sudan, Qatar, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Jordan.

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