DDHK News, Indonesia - Qatar needs Indonesian workers (TKI) to work in the formal and professional sectors. This was conveyed by the Minister of Manpower and Transmigration, Muhaimin Iskandar, after receiving the visit of the Qatar Ambassador to Indonesia in Jakarta.
Available job vacancies include jobs in the oil and gas, nursing, tourism, IT and construction sectors. These various types of work promise high wages.
"We continue to encourage the increase in the number of formal TKI placements working in Qatar. Moreover, the quality of formal Indonesian TKI has been recognized by the quality user or companies in Qatar, "Muhaimin said after receiving the visit of the Ambassador of Qatar to Indonesia Ahmad Abdullah Ahmad Gholo Al-Muhanedi in Jakarta, Tuesday (04/2).
The Ministry of Manpower estimates that more than 40 thousand Indonesian migrant workers work in Qatar. Some work in the oil and gas industry. But there are also domestic workers.
In 2013, the number of Indonesian migrant workers registered at the Indonesian Embassy in Doha was 6.716 people. Of that number 6.615 people work as domestic workers (PRT) or the domestic sector. The rest work as professionals and trained workers.
In addition, Muhaimin asked the Qatari government to strengthen cooperation in increasing protection for Indonesian migrant workers in the domestic sector. He admitted that his party had held various meetings with placement countries to discuss the fulfillment of the basic rights of Indonesian migrant workers in the domestic sector.
Muhaimin explained that the normative rights of Indonesian migrant workers that must be fulfilled include getting access to communication. Either to families or representatives of the Republic of Indonesia. Then the right to get one day off a week and hold his own passport. Then get a guarantee of monthly wage payments through banks, and work agreements that can be accessed electronically.
Muhaimin said, to improve the placement system for Indonesian domestic migrant workers, skills training was given for 300-400 hours before departure. The training is adjusted to job qualifications such as babysitting, chef, domestic assistant and driver.
"The improvements that are being carried out can provide a win-win-solution for both parties in implementing the placement and protection of TKI. This means that workers who work in the domestic sector are more protected and users get a quality workforce, "said Muhaimin.
Qatar's Ambassador to Indonesia, Ahmad Abdullah Ahmad Gholo Al-Muhanedi, said that the Government of Qatar requested assistance from Indonesia to boost the sending of formal sector Indonesian migrant workers.
"Job opportunities in the formal sector in Qatar are still wide open. We need Indonesian workers to occupy formal positions in a number of these sectors. We will also prioritize these TKI to occupy a number of positions, "he said.
Not to forget, Ahmad Abdullah said that Qatar needed a lot of labor because many expatriates had settled as residents. At present, there are more than 1 million expatriate residents of the two million inhabitants that the Qatari government must serve.
Host of the 2022 World Cup
Migrant Care Executive Director, Anis Hidayah, said that the number of job vacancies in Qatar is related to Qatar's position as the host of the 2022 World Cup. In this context, the Qatar government needs a lot of migrant workers to build preparations for the international football event such as building a stadium.
Ironically, the condition of the migrant workers who built the stadium was appalling. Therefore Migrant Care together with an international organization that opposes modern slavery, Walk Free, is campaigning so that there is no slavery in order to prepare for the implementation of the world cup.
"Qatar needs a lot of migrant workers to build stadiums, so we call for no practice of slavery," he explained.
Regarding the condition of Indonesian migrant workers in the domestic sector, Anis explained that Qatar is the same as other Middle Eastern countries. For example, the Kaffalah system applies, in which the employer's passport is held by the employer. In fact, the passport is very important for migrant workers because it is their identity. In addition, Anis noted that there was an Indonesian migrant worker who was under sentence of death in Qatar.
On this basis, Anis emphasized the Indonesian government to be careful in establishing cooperation in protecting and placing Indonesian migrant workers in Qatar. For example, there must be a work agreement to protect Indonesian domestic workers in the domestic sector. (Hukumonline.com). *
