In direct response to the development of the Covid-19 pandemic, since March 20 2020, the Indonesian government has temporarily suspended the placement of Indonesian Migrant Workers. This arrangement is stipulated in the Minister of Manpower Decree No. 151 of 2020 concerning Temporary Suspension of the Placement of Indonesian Migrant Workers (“MoM Decree 151/2020”).
Through this decree, the Minister of Manpower essentially protects the Indonesian Migrant Workers through stipulations on termination of placement, protection measures for migrant workers who are still in the placement country, including arrangements for migrant workers returning to Indonesia. Below are the highlight points of MoM Decree No. 151/2020:
1. Termination of placement applies to Indonesian Migrant Workers placed by the executor of placement, Indonesian Migrant Workers placed by the company for its own interests, individual Indonesian Migrant Workers, and crew of commercial/fishing vessels on foreign-flagged vessels.
2. When this Decree comes into force, Indonesian Migrant Workers who have already obtained work visas and transportation tickets to the destination country of placement may depart if the destination country has not closed the entry of foreigners to work.
3. Migrant workers who have worked abroad can continue to work until the work agreement ends. If the work agreement has ended, the work agreement can be extended between the agreement of the migrant worker and employer, taking into account the guarantee of safety and security from the government of the placement country.
4. Migrant workers who are already in the destination country of placement are urged to comply with the directions of the authorities in the placement country in order to cope with the spread of Covid-19.
5. Migrant workers returning to Indonesia are to report their return to the nearest Republic of Indonesia Representative before leaving the country of placement.
6. When this Decree comes into force, registration services for prospective Indonesian Migrant Workers and domestic proceedings, as well as verification services for Job Migration (Job Order / Demand Letters) of Indonesian Migrant Workers in the Republic of Indonesia Representative in the destination country, termination is carried out.
7. In the case that national circumstances and conditions, as well as the placement country due to the Covid-19 outbreak has returned conducive, the Minister may review this MoM Decree No. 151/2020.
Continuous updates by the Indonesian Government will be issued in the near future as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic ensues.
If there are any queries with regards to how this may affect your business, please contact us for further legal consultation.
This information does not, and is not intended to, constitute as legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials are for general information only.
