Government Prepares Measures to Prevent Layoffs Amid Middle East Conflict
The Deputy Minister of Manpower, Afriansyah Noor, has confirmed that the government is actively anticipating potential mass layoffs resulting from the escalating global geopolitical situation caused by the war in the Middle East. Speaking in Jakarta, the Deputy Minister emphasised the need to prevent rising unemployment rates in Indonesia due to these external pressures.
According to Afrianskyah, the ongoing global conflicts are exerting pressure on the economies of many nations, including Indonesia, prompting the government to take anticipatory steps to maintain job stability. He noted that the government is closely monitoring the impact of global geopolitics on national employment to prevent increases in layoffs across various industrial sectors. He further noted that the current unemployment rate stands at approximately 4.3 per cent, equivalent to 7.4 million people.
To address these challenges, the government is strengthening various employment programmes to ensure citizens continue to find work amidst a rapidly changing global economic landscape. One primary measure is the expansion of the National Internship Programme, with participant quotas increasing from 100,000 to 150,000 for 2026. This programme aims to assist recent graduates in gaining work experience and enhancing skills to meet the demands of a competitive industrial sector.
In addition to internships, the government is opening national vocational training for high school and vocational school graduates through job training centres to sustainably strengthen Indonesia’s human resources. The Deputy Minister announced a quota of 70,000 training slots, which can be accessed via the SIAPKerja application. Participants in these free, state-certified training programmes will receive a daily allowance of Rp 20,000. Afriansyah concluded by stating that the government believes strengthening people’s economic power through expanded training and job placement is essential to facing global pressures.