A new program to encourage manufacturers to directly hire Indonesians rather than use brokers has already placed workers, an Indonesian official said on Monday.
National Board for Placement and Protection of Indonesian Overseas Workers head Tatang B. Razak said that 11 Indonesians hired under the plan are already in Taiwan.
Another official said 14 others found jobs last year and were headed to Taiwan, while about 100 workers would be eligible for the scheme this year.
Shinkong Textile and Ho Yu Textile Co are the two companies that have listed openings through the system.
However, 276,181 Indonesians were working in Taiwan as of November last year, including 64,743 in the manufacturing sector, Razak said at the agency’s year-end review.
The number of Indonesians benefiting from the scheme was limited, because most Indonesian workers are caregivers or domestic helpers and were not eligible for it, but it is “the first step” in the right direction, he said.
Still, the program, which works in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor, remains important as placement broker fees continue to grow, with some charging 30 million to 60 million rupiah (US$2,159 to US$4,320), he said.
This program has no additional placement fees, he added.
Manufacturers list job openings online and Indonesians that apply go through a screening process that might include online or on-site interviews, Razak said, adding that applications are expected to be processed within two months, and the employer pays for the workers’ visa, health checkups and airfare.
Still, the program faces considerable obstacles, especially among employers, he said.
Although complaints about broker abuses have been known for a long time, most employers prefer to hire migrant workers through brokers or placement agencies for the convenience, he said.
After visiting Taiwan two months ago and explaining to employers the benefits of the system, more of them were willing to consider the idea, he added.
Last month, hundreds of migrant workers from Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam took to the streets of Taipei to demand that the brokerage system be abolished in favor of a mandatory government-to-government hiring system.
That type of program has long been in place for migrant workers who were already in Taiwan, but it was extended in July last year to Indonesians who had never worked in Taiwan before.
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