Saudi Arabian Migrant Workers Sent the Largest Remittances in the First Half of 2021

Bank Indonesia (BI) recorded that remittances from Indonesian workers (TKI) working abroad reached US$4.54 billion, or Rp65.77 trillion (using an exchange rate of Rp14,496/US$), in the first half of 2021. This figure is down 6.7% compared to the first half of 2020, which reached US$4.86 billion.

Indonesian workers in Saudi Arabia were the largest contributors of foreign exchange to Indonesia in the first half of this year, sending US$1.41 billion. This was followed by Indonesian workers in Malaysia with remittances totaling US$1.28 billion.

Remittances from Indonesian workers in Taiwan reached US$682.16 million. Remittances from Indonesian workers in Hong Kong and Singapore amounted to US$540.24 million and US$134.59 million, respectively.

Remittances from Indonesian workers in South Korea reached US$121.29 million. Meanwhile, remittances from Indonesian workers in the United Arab Emirates reached US$86.62 million.

Indonesian workers in Jordan generated remittances totaling US$86.09 million. Remittances from Indonesian workers in Japan and Brunei Darussalam amounted to US$81.1 million and US$34.22 million, respectively.

Remittances from Indonesian workers in several countries experienced a decline in the first half of 2021. The sharpest decline originated from Saudi Arabia, at 9.34%.

Remittances from Indonesian workers in Malaysia and South Korea also decreased by 9.07% and 9.06%, respectively. Remittances from Indonesian workers in Singapore fell by 6.17%.