Foreign Workers in Indonesia Must Pass Language Proficiency Test

In the very near future the current and prospective foreign workers in Indonesia will have to pass the Bahasa Indonesia language proficiency test, according to the Manpower Ministry.

Muhammad Hanif Dhakiri, Indonesia’s Manpower Minister has announced that his department is getting ready to launch a proficiency test on the Indonesian language that will be available online. They are expecting workers who want to seek employment in Indonesia to have easier access to this job requirement as well as for those already working in the country.

Reciprocal policy requirement

The Manpower Minister said that it is important for countries fielding employees abroad to understand that this employment requirement is a mutual policy. He made the announcement at the Presidential Palace on Wednesday. He said that before they sent workers to South Korean and Japan, they made sure that their workers had been provided with language training.

The policy came about because they felt that foreign workers are not being fair to them. They have observed that a number of foreign professionals who had been in Indonesia for several years could only still say thank you (terima kasha) and good morning (selamat pagi). They think that these foreign workers actually do not have any intention to learn the local language.

Still in the planning stage

While the language proficiency policy is still in the planning stage, they already have some concrete plans. For workers planning to come to Indonesia, as mentioned, they would be able to access the language proficiency exam online, prior to proceeding with their employment application. For those foreigners who are already in the country, the Manpower Minister said that they would have the requirement adjusted. During the test period, these workers would be allowed to remain in the country, but they would need to show proof that they are already proficient in the language.

Technical matters involved in the implementation of this policy are still being discussed, the minister said. It would require the involvement of language institutions, as the ministry would need their help in coming up with the mechanics of the exam as well as the actual exam itself.

In reality, there was already a stipulation regarding the language proficiency, which was included in the 2013 Manpower Minister Regulation No. 12, but Minister Dhakiri said it was vague, so now they want to have it strengthened and enforced. In the existing regulation, it had already included the language proficiency requirement for workers seeking Indonesian work permits. However, those who are in temporary employment, as well as directors and commissioners were excluded from the regulation.

Foreign workers in Indonesia

Many of the expatriates in Indonesia come from Malaysia, India, South Korea, Japan and China. As of 2014 there were 68,762 documented foreign workers in the country. Of these, over 21,000 are professionals. Over 15,000 are consultants or advisers and nearly 14,000 hold managerial positions. Close to 10,000 are company directors while thousands more work as commissioners, supervisors and the rest are working in various sectors.

The test anticipates the launch later this year of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).

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