Manpower and Transmigration Minister Muhaimin Iskandar said his office would conduct orderliness operation against foreign workers illegally working in the country.

“All foreign workers in Indonesia must be legal, meet criteria and laws. In view of that we will conduct an orderliness operation against those working illegally,” he said after inspecting the Foreign Workers Service Outlet at the ministry building on Monday.

He said he would cooperate with the immigration office and the police for the operation.

“We must work together with the immigration office and the police to keep monitoring foreign workers. We need foreign workers for economic growth but their presence must not close the opportunity for Indonesian workers,” he said.

He said his office would increase control over foreign workers in the country to prevent the presence of illegal ones.

On the occasion the director general of manpower placement and development, I Gusti Made Arka, said an foreign worker violating visa regulations violates Law Number 13 of 2003 on manpower.
“If a foreigner holds a tourist
visa or a visit visa but works in Indonesia it means he/she violates Law Number 13 of 2003,” he said adding “we will act against them as soon as we receive report about it.”

Gusti said manpower employees would always monitor the presence of foreign workers in Indonesia to assure that they work according to the jobs and period allowed by the law.

He said there are now around 50,000 foreigners working in various sectors in the country such as from Malaysia, China, Japan, the US, South Korea and India.

According to data the manpower ministry issued 47,320 ministerial permits for foreign workers (IMTA) in 2007, 53,150 in 2008 and 45,946 until October 12, 2009.

He said around 30 companies applied for foreign employment plan (RPTKA) to the ministry everyday and 200 people applied for IMTA.

From employment licensing the government receives skills and expertise development funds (DPKK) which is non-tax state income as a compensation from the foreign
workers.

The revenue from DPKK in 2007 reached US$54.274 million in 2008 US$68.206 million and until October 12, 2009 US$56.125 million.

Source: Antara