47% of Indonesian Migrant Workers Were Employed in the Formal Sector in 2018

According to data from the Indonesian National Agency for Placement and Protection of Indonesian Workers (BN2PTKI), the placement of Indonesian Migrant Workers (IMWs) in 2018 reached 283,640 workers. Of this number, 133,640 or approximately 47% worked in the formal sector, with the remainder working in the informal sector.

The quantity of Indonesian workers placed abroad over the past four years has fluctuated. Last year, formal sector IMWs began to grow again after a decline during 2014-2017, while the informal sector continued to grow relatively steadily.

The quantity of IMWs in the formal sector is smaller than in the informal sector. In terms of gender, female IMWs dominate, accounting for 70% of all Indonesian workers working abroad.

By occupation, the largest placement of IMWs in 2018 was as Domestic Helpers (PLRT), reaching 93,124 workers. This was followed by caregivers (for the elderly/sick) at 51,386 workers, and operators at 36,005 workers.