Indonesian Migrant Workers' Remittances Surplus US$5.3 Billion

Based on data from the Ministry of Manpower, remittances or funds transferred by Indonesian Migrant Workers (TKI) working abroad throughout 2017 contributed US$8.79 billion or approximately Rp 119 trillion in foreign exchange, a 1.3% increase compared to the previous year. Meanwhile, remittances from Foreign Workers (TKA) to their home countries last year reached US$3.47 billion, equivalent to Rp 46.98 trillion, also up 2.66% from the previous year.

As a result, TKI remittances in 2017 showed a surplus of US$5.32 billion compared to TKA remittances, an increase of 0.43% from the previous US$5.29 billion. The difference in the value of transfers from Indonesian migrant workers abroad and transfers from foreign workers to their home countries recorded its highest record in 2015, at US$6.39 billion.

Remittances from foreign workers in Indonesia have grown in line with the increase in foreign investment in the country, reaching Rp 429 trillion in 2017 from Rp 307 trillion in 2014. This increase was also supported by the growth of the e-commerce market and other online businesses in Indonesia, which also employ many foreign workers.

(Read Databoks: Malaysia Remains a Magnet for Indonesian Migrant Workers)
(Read Databoks: 24,000 Foreign Workers in Indonesia Are from China)