Indonesia to soon repatriate illegal immigrants

February 05, 2024 | 09:42

(0) user say

The Indonesian government will implement a repatriation programme from March 1 for undocumented workers to return home without being prosecuted, said Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

Malaysia to soon repatriate illegal immigrants | ASEAN | Vietnam+ (VietnamPlus)

Indonesian Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail. (Photo: talantang.com)

Kuala Lumpur - The Indonesian government will implement a repatriation programme from March 1 for undocumented workers to return home without being prosecuted, said Home Minister Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

Speaking at a press conference on February 1, Saifuddin said the cabinet meeting on the same day decided that undocumented workers who wish to return to their home countries will be allowed to do so after settling compound fines for the immigration offences they had committed.

Compound fines, ranging from 300RM to 500RM, will be imposed for each immigration offence committed, including entering the country without valid travel documents, violating immigration conditions and overstaying, he said.

Previously, the government implemented a labour recalibration programme which allowed employers to apply for undocumented foreign workers to meet their labour needs. The programme ended on December 31 last year.

Regarding the freeze in foreign worker quotas, Saifuddin said the Cabinet agreed there was no need to lift the ban as the country has sufficient foreign labour in critical sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, construction, farming and services.

He added that the cabinet meeting also agreed to establish a one-stop-shop centre to speed up the application process for migrant workers.

Indonesia seeks trade deal with EU to compete with Vietnam

Indonesia is urgently pursuing a trade agreement with the European Union, according to newswire JakartaPost. This initiative, according to Indonesian Economic Affairs Coordinating Minister Airlangga Hartarto, is largely motivated by the desire to level the playing field with Vietnam, which currently benefits from the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Indonesia targets 1,000 investors via ‘golden visa’ programme

The Indonesian government has set a target of attracting at least 1,000 investors through the “golden visa” programme, part of an effort to attract high-quality talent and capital flows into this Southeast Asian country.

By VNA

What the stars mean:

★ Poor ★ ★ Promising ★★★ Good ★★★★ Very good ★★★★★ Exceptional