JAKARTA - Indonesia’s Deputy Minister for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI) Christina Aryani, held discussions with several Indonesian Migrant Worker Placement Companies (P3MI) to outline preparations and strategies for deploying Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) to Türkiye.

A statement issued by the P2MI Ministry on Thursday said the meeting, held at the ministry’s office in Jakarta, was attended by P3MI representatives involved in cooperation with six agencies in Türkiye, with a total of 10,925 verified job orders, Antara News reported. 

In her directive, Christina urged P3MI to ensure that prospective migrant workers fully understand the seasonal nature of the employment contracts, which run for a maximum of eight months, regardless of the visa validity period of up to one year.

She also reminded all workers with approved job orders to arrive in Türkiye before April 2026, as the tourism sector’s peak employment period runs from April to November.

“Seasonal placements to Türkiye must proceed on schedule and in line with regulations.

“Our migrant workers must clearly understand their contracts, rights and obligations before departure,” she said.

Data from Türkiye’s Ministry of Labour and Social Security showed that Indonesia was the seventh-largest source of foreign workers in the country in 2024, with 8,930 new work permits issued, marking a 59.26 per cent increase from the previous year.

Meanwhile, data from the Indonesian Embassy in Ankara indicated that, as of 25 October, it had received 30,870 demand letters, of which 16,415 had been approved, while 14,455 were still under verification and expected to be completed by November 2025.

The highest demand came from the tourism and hospitality sectors, with positions such as waiter, kitchen helper, housekeeping staff, spa therapist, cook and general hotel worker, as well as roles in agriculture.

“The government wants to ensure that these substantial opportunities are matched with adequate competency and comprehensive protection for Indonesian migrant workers.

“The growing demand for workers in Türkiye presents a major opportunity, but each placement must ensure that our workers understand their contracts, possess the right skills and depart on schedule,” she added.