In Indonesia, One Position is Contested by 12 People, Overseas Job Opportunities More Open
The competition in the job market is increasingly tight. Throughout the first quarter of 2026, one job vacancy is contested by around 12 job seekers. This situation reflects the imbalance between labour needs and the availability of job opportunities.
The high pressure is also evident from the significant job search activity. In March 2026, the number of users in the services and job vacancies category on OLX reached around 954,000, an increase of 46 percent compared to January 2026.
However, this surge has not been matched by the availability of jobs. Throughout the first quarter of 2026, the number of job seekers reached more than 523,000 people, while the available vacancies numbered only around 43,000 positions.
The tight competition is inseparable from the increasing number of job seekers. Data from the Ministry of Manpower records 8,389 workers affected by layoffs throughout the first quarter of 2026.
On the other hand, the trend in job searching is also rising, including after the Lebaran period, which recorded a significant surge. This reinforces the high need of the public for job opportunities.
The structure of the job market has not changed much. Administrative positions are the most applied for, followed by marketing/sales, freelance, drivers, and SPG/SPB. On the other hand, labour needs are also dominated by similar positions, indicating that the job market turnover is still concentrated on the same types of jobs.
In terms of regions, job opportunities are still concentrated in Jabodetabek, West Java, East Java, North Sumatra, and Bali. Meanwhile, the largest number of job seekers come from Jabodetabek, West Java, East Java, Central Java, and Banten.
Amid these conditions, various efforts are being made to connect job seekers and companies. One of them is through online job fairs.
OLX Director Agung Iskandar said the recruitment process needs to be made faster so that job seekers can be absorbed more quickly. “Looking at the continuously evolving dynamics of the job market, this year OLX is holding the OLX Job Fair Online with the ease of 3C: search for job vacancies, direct chat, and send CV. This cuts down on the recruitment process that is too lengthy,” he stated in a press release on Monday (20/4/2026).
The online job fair was held from 11-26 April 2026, featuring more than 1,300 quick job vacancies, around 1,200 positions that are most sought after, and more than 800 freelance job opportunities.
This situation shows that the job market problem is not only about access to information but also the limitations in creating new job opportunities. Without strengthening the real sector, the imbalance between job seekers and job opportunities has the potential to continue.