Indonesian Placement of Migrant Workers to Saudi Arabia Continues to Decline

The placement of Indonesian workers (TKI) in Saudi Arabia has continuously declined since 2011. In 2016, the placement of Indonesian workers in Saudi Arabia only reached 13,538 workers, a 41 percent decrease from the previous year's 23,000. In fact, Indonesian workers in Saudi Arabia have decreased by 90.18 percent compared to 2011.

Saudi Arabia was the largest destination country for Indonesian workers in 2011, surpassing Malaysia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Singapore. However, in 2016, the number of Indonesian workers placed in Saudi Arabia was only fifth, behind Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

The King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, will visit Indonesia from March 1-9, 2017. This visit is part of his tour of several Asian countries, including Malaysia, China, and Japan. This planned visit is related to the economic reforms implemented by the Saudi Arabian government following the fall in oil prices to below US$30 per barrel, which severely impacted the country's economy.