Indonesia bans age limits in hiring in bid for fairer job market
Indonesia is urging companies to remove age limits in job ads, reflecting growing regulatory scrutiny of discriminatory labour practices in Southeast Asia's largest economy.
The Ministry of Manpower issued a circular signed on May 28 directing both domestic and foreign employers to eliminate age restrictions in recruitment efforts, including those targeting people with disabilities. Exceptions are allowed only when age is clearly relevant to the role – and even then, the criteria must not unfairly disadvantage applicants.
'These restrictions have long contributed to legitimising unemployment and poverty,' Deputy Minister of Manpower Immanuel Ebenezer said in a phone interview on Saturday. 'Employers want comfort, we will deliver that. We will eliminate thuggery and burdensome regulations. But we also ask for cooperation – to help our fellow citizens.'
Labour unions welcomed the move as a step towards fairer hiring, but also called for regulations to enforce the directive. Employer groups, however, voiced concerns about practical implementation, warning that companies may now face an influx of applicants. Indonesia currently has more than 7 million unemployed people, with older jobseekers often facing barriers to re-entry.
Jobseekers consult officers from the department of manpower during a job fair in Jakarta on May 22. Photo: AFP
The circular is part of broader labour policy changes under President Prabowo Subianto. The government has also banned the practice of employers withholding workers' original diplomas and personal documents – a tactic critics say restricts labour mobility. These measures build on labour policy changes initiated under the previous administration, including the 2023 revision of Indonesia's job creation law. That revision met strong opposition from labour groups due to its perceived pro-business leanings.
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