Indonesia is actively pushing its youth to pursue overseas employment and vocational training programs to capitalize on the nation’s demographic bonus, according to government officials. Speaking in Banyuwangi, East Java, on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, Deputy Minister of Manpower Afriansyah Noor stated that the state provides necessary education, training, and competencies for citizens looking to work abroad.
Vocational Training and Overseas Placement Programs in Banyuwangi
The Deputy Minister made his remarks while opening the Batch IV Vocational Training and Productivity program at the Vocational Training and Productivity Center (BPVP) in Muncar, Banyuwangi. The program features the National Internship Hub and the Japan Internship program, run in collaboration with IM Japan. According to Afriansyah, the Ministry of Manpower is promoting specialized skills programs for partner countries like Japan, where Indonesian workers secure placements in strategic sectors including automotive, manufacturing, agriculture, and driving roles.
Workers in the light automotive sector—such as tire shop technicians, oil change mechanics, and light repair specialists—can earn a net income of around Rp21 million per month, Afriansyah noted. He commended Banyuwangi Regency as a top contributor of workers sent to Japan, highlighting that the local BPVP reflects efforts to build youth competence and language skills. The region features an open unemployment rate (TPT) covering about 10,000 people out of a population of roughly 1.7 million. Banyuwangi Deputy Regent Mujiono added that the area’s unemployment rate dropped from 4.03 percent to 3.94 percent in 2025, noting that authorities also weigh labor force participation, job quality, productivity, income levels, and inactive working-age individuals.
National Quotas and Broader Government Support
To support human resource development prioritized by President Prabowo Subianto, the state funds a National Vocational Training quota of approximately 220,000 places aimed at high school and vocational high school graduates. Afriansyah urged the public to utilize these fully state-covered vocational facilities. Complementing these domestic efforts, Minister of Migrant Workers Protection Abdul Kadir Karding encouraged young people during a public lecture at Riau Islamic University on Wednesday to seize overseas opportunities for higher salaries and experience, according to Antara. Karding noted that nurses in Japan can earn up to Rp25 million (around US$1,500) per month, while German wages can reach between Rp30 million and Rp50 million (around US$1,800 to US$3,000), with similar jobs available in industrial, fisheries, and hospitality sectors. Karding also advised workers to learn foreign languages, respect host cultures, and manage finances wisely to avoid consumptive lifestyles, while his ministry signed a memorandum of understanding with the university to strengthen training and assistance.
Broader Vocational Send-Offs and Future Outlook
Further scaling up international placements, Education Minister Abdul Mu’ti sent off 3,600 vocational graduates in Surabaya, East Java, for jobs across 14 destination countries including Japan. The group comprised 3,000 vocational high school (SMK) graduates and 600 course and training institution (LKP) graduates. East Java’s 2026 plan covers 4,920 participants and alumni across 112 institutions, building on the government’s Overseas Employment Class 3+1 program. Tatang Muttaqin, director general for vocational, special and special-service education, linked the push to a migrant worker protection ministry target to place 500,000 workers overseas in 2026.
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