Latest news with #Karding
South China Morning Post
24-03-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Indonesia set to allow domestic helpers in Saudi Arabia after 10-year ban
Indonesia is set to lift a decade-long ban on sending migrant workers to Saudi Arabia , following assurances of enhanced labour protections even as rights groups say critical safeguards and cases of mistreatment remain unaddressed. Advertisement A memorandum of understanding to facilitate the legal placement of migrant workers was scheduled to be signed by ministers from Indonesia and Saudi Arabia later this month in Jeddah, said Migrant Workers Protection Minister Abdul Kadir Karding in Jakarta. 'After ensuring that Saudi Arabia's labour protection system has improved sufficiently, we will reopen the programme,' Karding told reporters last week, noting that the decision to lift the ban followed a meeting between him and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. The Indonesian government would likely send around 600,000 workers to Saudi Arabia as early as June, Karding said. This would include 400,000 domestic helpers and 200,000 skilled labourers, he added, without specifying what sectors would hire the latter group. The government was projecting potential foreign exchange earnings of 31 trillion rupiah [US$1.89 billion] a year if 600,000 workers were sent to Saudi Arabia, the minister said. Advertisement He added that there was promise of more improved and advanced protections in place for workers in Saudi Arabia.
Gulf Insider
19-03-2025
- Business
- Gulf Insider
Saudi Arabia, Indonesia To Seal Pact Ending 10-Year Labour Ban
Saudi Arabia and Indonesia are expected soon to sign a memorandum of understanding, ending Jakarta's 10-year moratorium on sending workers after safeguards have been secured to enhance protection of their rights, media in both countries reported. Officials from the two countries are scheduled to sign an MoU in the Saudi city Jeddah later this month aimed to regulate the legal employment of Indonesian workers, Indonesian Minister of Migrant Worker Protection Abdul Kadir Karding said. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has approved to lift the ban, the online newspaper Jakarta Globe reported. Karding estimated that Saudi Arabia requires nearly 600,000 Indonesian workers, including around 400,000 domestic labourers and 200,000 others in the formal sector. 'The president has approved lifting the moratorium on sending Indonesian migrant workers to Saudi Arabia. He has instructed us to develop a training scheme and placement system for these workers,' Karding said after meeting Prabowo in Jakarta. The minister added that Prabowo supports the lift to expand job opportunities for Indonesians. 'Under the leadership of (Saudi) Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, labour protections have significantly improved,' he said. The prospective pact sets a minimum wage of SR1,500 (about $399) and incorporates measures to protect workers, including bolstered oversight of employers and recruitment agencies. The first batch of workers is expected to leave for Saudi Arabia by June, according to Jakarta Globe In 2015, Indonesia imposed restrictions on sending labour to several countries in the Middle East due to concerns about labor protection and abuses. The ban has drawn criticism, as it has resulted in an increase of unregulated labour, with more than 25,000 domestic workers entering Saudi Arabia annually through unofficial channels amid an increasing demand in the region for expat workers.
The National
15-03-2025
- Business
- The National
Indonesia set to lift ban on sending workers to Saudi Arabia
Indonesia is set to lift a decade-old ban on sending citizens to Saudi Arabia as domestic workers and formal sector employees, following assurances of stricter labour protections from the Gulf nation. A memorandum of understanding to facilitate the legal placement of migrant workers will be signed by ministers from both countries later this month in Jeddah, Migrant Workers Protection Minister Abdul Kadir Karding said. President Prabowo Subianto has approved the lifting of the moratorium imposed in 2015, the Jakarta Globe quoted Mr Karding as saying on Saturday after a meeting with the president. "He has instructed us to develop a training scheme and placement system for these workers." The Saudi government is offering as many as 600,000 job openings, including about 400,000 for domestic workers and 200,000 for formal sector jobs, he said. Indonesia has banned labour migration to several Middle Eastern countries over concerns about mistreatment. However, the moratorium faced criticism for loopholes that have allowed a steady flow of undocumented workers amid high regional demand. More than 25,000 undocumented domestic workers still enter Saudi Arabia illegally each year, Mr Karding told Bloomberg news agency. Working abroad is an economic lifeline for Indonesians grappling with poverty and unemployment at home. Indonesia's migrant worker agency received about 186 complaints from workers in Saudi Arabia over the past year, making it one of the top five destinations with the highest number of grievances, data showed. Mr Karding said Saudi Arabia labour protections have "significantly improved" under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The new agreement will also include stronger labour protections, such as a minimum monthly wage of around 1,500 riyals ($399) or 6.5 million rupiah – higher than Jakarta's minimum wage – as well as health, life, and employment insurance. The agreement will also enhance workers' rights, tighten oversight of employers and recruitment agencies, and, if signed quickly, could allow the country to resume sending hundreds of thousands of workers to Saudi Arabia in June. The programme is projected to generate about $1.89 billion annually in remittances.
South China Morning Post
15-03-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Indonesia, Saudi Arabia agree on new labour protections
Indonesia is set to sign an agreement to lift its decade-long moratorium on sending citizens to Saudi Arabia as domestic workers and formal sector employees, following assurances of stricter labour protections from the Gulf nation. Advertisement A memorandum of understanding to facilitate the legal placement of migrant workers will be signed by ministers from both countries later this month in Jeddah, according to Migrant Workers Protection Minister Abdul Kadir Karding. 'After ensuring that Saudi Arabia's labour protection system has improved sufficiently, we will reopen the programme,' he said in a text message to journalists on Saturday. The world's third-largest democracy had previously banned labour migration to several Middle Eastern countries over concerns about mistreatment. However, the moratorium faced criticism for loopholes that have allowed a steady flow of undocumented workers amid high regional demand. More than 25,000 undocumented domestic workers still enter Saudi Arabia illegally each year, Karding said. Working abroad is an economic lifeline for Indonesians grappling with poverty and unemployment at home. Indonesia's migrant worker agency received about 186 complaints from workers in Saudi Arabia over the past year, making it one of the top five destinations with the highest number of grievances, data showed. Advertisement This time, the Saudi government is offering as many as 600,000 job openings, including about 400,000 for domestic workers and 200,000 for formal sector jobs, Karding said. The new agreement will also include stronger labour protections, such as a minimum monthly wage of around 1,500 riyals (US$399) or 6.5 million rupiah – higher than Jakarta's minimum wage.
