JAKARTA | INDATANEWS.COM- Data on foreign workers (TKA) in Indonesia can serve as one of the government's references for preparing Indonesian workers in line with the demands of the labor market. The data provide insight into the types of jobs, positions, and expertise currently in high demand among businesses and industries.
Manpower Minister Yassierli said the government could use data on the employment of foreign workers to analyze workforce needs across various sectors. The information could help identify areas where foreign workers are still widely employed while also determining the competencies that need to be further developed among Indonesian workers in the future.
According to Yassierli, complete and accurate data would provide a clearer picture of labor market requirements. The government could determine which specific occupations employ large numbers of foreign workers and subsequently use the information as a basis for preparing the national workforce.
"If we have sufficiently good data, we can identify the occupations in which foreign workers are predominantly employed. For example, if the data show that many of them work as Process Engineers and in similar positions, it means that the labor market needs these professionals," Yassierli said at an event on the coordination of the promotion and control of foreign worker employment in Jakarta on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.
TKA Data Highlight Skills Needs
Yassierli explained that TKA data are not merely intended to record the number of foreign workers employed in Indonesia. The government can also use the data to map the occupations and competencies required by businesses and industries.
Such mapping is important because industrial development continues to create new demands for specific skills. If a particular occupation is frequently filled by foreign workers because it requires specialized expertise, the government can use this information to prepare Indonesian workers with the relevant competencies.
Through this approach, TKA data can become a source of information for aligning labor market needs with the available national workforce. The government can also identify fields that need to be further strengthened through education, training, and skills development programs.
According to Yassierli, the information could also help the government identify positions that may become particularly important in the future. Such workforce mapping could serve as a basis for developing a list of strategic occupations requiring special attention in preparing the future workforce.
"It is possible that in the future we will plan a Critical Occupation List, a list of critical positions for the future. Educational institutions will certainly be waiting for this information," he said.
He said information on the demand for specific occupations and skills was also highly important for educational institutions. They could consider labor market requirements as one of the factors in adjusting their programs and developing students' competencies accordingly.
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT IN IDENTIFYING OCCUPATIONS: Manpower Minister Yassierli explains that TKA data can help the government identify occupations and skills that are in particularly high demand in the labor market. (PHOTO: PHOTO: Ministry of Manpower Press and Public Relations Office/Kemnaker)
TKA Data Validation Goes Beyond Administration
On the occasion, Yassierli also emphasized that validating the employment of foreign workers was not merely a matter of administrative completeness. The government must ensure that information on TKA employment provides a comprehensive picture of the demand for and actual utilization of foreign workers in Indonesia.
The information includes the occupations performed by foreign workers, their qualifications, the Indonesian workers accompanying them, and the implementation of knowledge and technology transfers. The government can use this information to assess the extent to which the employment of foreign workers contributes to strengthening the skills of Indonesian workers.
The transfer of knowledge and technology is an important aspect of employing foreign workers. When companies employ foreign professionals for positions requiring specialized expertise, the involvement of Indonesian workers and the transfer of knowledge can help strengthen the capabilities of the national workforce.
The event on the coordination of the promotion and control of foreign worker employment was attended by personnel responsible for validating payments of the Compensation Fund for the Employment of Foreign Workers (DKPTKA). They are tasked with ensuring that the validation process is carried out properly so that the government has reliable information to support the promotion and control of TKA employment.
Data obtained through the validation process can also provide an overview of developments in foreign worker employment across various sectors and regions. The government can use the information for monitoring purposes and to formulate labor policies that are more closely aligned with actual conditions on the ground.
SUPPORTING LABOR POLICY: Manpower Minister Yassierli emphasizes the importance of accurate data in supporting data-driven labor policies. (PHOTO: Ministry of Manpower Press and Public Relations Office/Kemnaker)
Government Moves Toward Data-Driven Labor Policies
Yassierli also emphasized the importance of coordination between the central government and regional governments in managing information on foreign worker employment. In his view, information from the regions could complement the overall picture of national workforce needs.
Such coordination is important because workforce requirements can vary from one region to another depending on economic structures, investment, and the development of individual economic sectors. Regional data can help the government identify workforce demand patterns more comprehensively rather than relying solely on a national overview.
The government can also use the data to connect workforce needs with education and training programs. If the data indicate high demand for specific skills, the government and educational institutions can take the information into account when developing programs to improve workforce competencies.
The step could also help strengthen the links between education, businesses, industry, and government. With reliable data available, all stakeholders would have a clearer information base for workforce planning and the development of professional competencies.
Yassierli stressed that data quality is an important component in formulating labor policies. The government needs sufficient, accurate, and verifiable data to ensure that policies resulting from the data are genuinely based on labor market requirements.
"With good, accurate, and sufficient data, we will be able to formulate data-driven policies," he said.
The use of TKA data, therefore, is not limited to monitoring the employment of foreign workers. The data can also serve as a strategic source of information for the government to identify workforce skill requirements, prepare Indonesian workers, and strengthen the link between labor policy and industrial needs. (IDNC)
REPORTER: Ahmad Zulfikar | EDITOR: Fik Sagala