Accreditation system developed for Indonesian Migrant Workers Placement Companies

JAKARTA, Indonesia (Joint Press Release) - The Ministry of Indonesian Migrant Workers Protection (KP2MI)/BP2MI, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), organized a Tripartite Workshop on the Development of an Accreditation System for Indonesian Migrant Worker Placement Companies (P3MI) to Strengthen the Implementation of Fair and Ethical Recruitment and Gender-Responsive Supervision. Held in Jakarta from 22-23 April, the workshop was attended by 80 participants, representing relevant government ministries and agencies, civil society organizations, migrant worker unions in Indonesia and country of destination, private placement company associations, private placement agencies, and academia.

© ILO

© ILO

In this remarks, the Director General of Placement at KP2MI/BP2MI, Ahnas, stated that one of the priorities of the Ministry of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (KP2MI)/BP2MI is to improve labour migration governance through the implementation of fair and ethical recruitment that is gender responsive and that sets standards to improve the transparency, accountability, professionality, and quality assurance of services provided by Private Placement Agency (P3MI).

He also emphasized that the Accreditation System for P3MI was developed as part of a government initiative. The accountable and transparent system will automatically give all sanctions, suspensions, rejections and cancellations of permits for the renewal of licenses.

During the workshop, participants also learned about existing P3MI accreditation systems operated by the Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi governments.

In October 2024, the government of Indonesia established a new Ministry on Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection (KP2MI/BP2MI) which aims to safeguard the rights and welfare of Indonesian migrant workers. The establishment of the KP2MI/BP2MI reinforces the government of Indonesia to improve the quality of gender-responsive labour migration governance through the implementation of international labour standards.

International Labour Standards promote opportunities for all workers, including migrant workers, helping them to obtain decent and productive work, in conditions of freedom, equity, security and dignity. The International Labour Standards guided the stakeholders in recognizing the needs of migrant workers and developing effective labour protections that are consistent with internationally recognized human rights and labour standards.

This was further emphasized by the ILO Country Director in Indonesia, Simrin Singh,”The ILO is pleased with the collective commitment shown ensure that recruitment and placement practices in Indonesia are transparent, regulated, monitored and enforced effectively, including mechanisms for oversight of recruitment of migrant workers that are consistent with international labour standards.”

Moving forward, the P3MI accreditation system is also expected to simplify the process for prospective Indonesian migrant workers to select credible placement companies. It will help facilitate their placements and maximize efforts to protect migrant workers from various risks such as fraud, overcharging of recruitment and placement fees, human trafficking and other violations of workers' rights.

"We want workers to be able to select placement agencies which represent their best interests and enable their protection,” said Jeffrey Labovitz, Chief of Mission, IOM Indonesia.

The workshop was organized with the aim of ensuring that the development of the accreditation system, along with its regulations and instruments, is based on data, facts and an inclusive process. The development of the accreditation system will begin with the development of instruments and a web-based system to map/profile the service and management capacity of P3MI, which will serve as baseline data for the study and future development of the accreditation system.

The organization of the workshop and the collaboration between KP2MI, ILO, and IOM in this initiative were supported through the implementation of the Ensuring Decent Work and Reducing Vulnerability for Women and Children in the Context of Labour Migration in Southeast Asia (PROTECT) programme, implemented by the ILO with support from the European Union, as well as the Migration, Business and Human Rights in Asia (MBHR Asia) programme, implemented by the IOM with support from the European Union and Sweden.

The overall goal of the partnerships through this initiative is to: 1) strengthen laws, policies, inspection mechanisms, and law enforcement; 2) promote fair and ethical recruitment, as well as responsible business practices; and 3) empower workers who have experienced abuse and rights violations in recruitment and the entire migration process, to file complaints and provide them with access to justice and remedy.

For more information, please contact:
Sinthia Harkrisnowo
ILO Coordinator of PROTECT Project in Indonesia
[email protected]

Gita Lingga
ILO Senior Information and Communications Management Assistant
[email protected]