Minister of P2MI Inaugurates Migrant Center in Batam to Build Global HR Ecosystem

Minister for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI), Mukhtarudin, conducted a working visit to the Batam Tourism Polytechnic (BTP) campus. The visit was for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and a Cooperation Agreement (PKS), as well as the inauguration of the Migrant Center located at the BTP Auditorium. This swift action was directly appreciated by Mukhtarudin. He praised BTP’s readiness to immediately realise the cooperation once the formal agreement was signed. “This development is fast. Once we signed the MoU and PKS, we immediately inaugurated the Migrant Center. Of course, we will build a hulu ecosystem for skilled migrant workers. And the focus here is on hospitality,” said Mukhtarudin in a statement on Wednesday (10/6/2026). He stated this after directly inspecting the campus facilities on Monday (8/6). Mukhtarudin affirmed that this collaboration represents an ideal synergy between the government as the regulator and educational institutions like BTP as the operator on the hulu side. The government is currently optimising existing instruments, including through MoUs between KP2MI and 12 ministries, as well as various leading universities (such as UI and Unhas). These ministries generally have official polytechnics in the fields of mining, tourism, health, transportation, and fisheries for ship crews. “The government creates a climate that facilitates the real sector. Placement is carried out through official schemes prepared by the government, whether Government to Government (G-to-G) or other procedural schemes,” explained Mukhtarudin. Amidst the phenomenon of aging populations in developed countries in Europe and Japan, Indonesia is currently enjoying a demographic bonus. This golden opportunity is what the government intends to capture seriously by preparing productive and competent workers. Mukhtarudin also highlighted Batam’s strategic position bordering Singapore. According to him, BTP’s potential not only impacts the downstream processing of human resources but also has a significant domino effect on the local economy. “The impact is not only the hilirisasi of HR, but in the context of driving the economy and people’s purchasing power. Therefore, the ecosystem is good, reducing unemployment, improving welfare, and providing a multiplier effect on economic growth,” Mukhtarudin stated. He also reminded that migrant workers are no longer just family heroes but national foreign exchange heroes due to the enormous value of their remittances. Seeing the quality of BTP students, some of whom have already undertaken international internships at various hotels in Asia and soon in Australia, Minister Mukhtarudin suggested that BTP immediately establish its own Indonesian Migrant Worker Placement Company (P3MI). “I suggest immediately forming and preparing the P3MI. So there will be a one-stop service at BTP. So people will just think of studying at BTP, because there, the pathway to work abroad procedurally has already been prepared. The domestic pathway is prepared, the overseas pathway is prepared,” concluded Mukhtarudin. Chairman of the VITKA Foundation Advisory Board, Asman Abnur, gave a positive response and expressed optimism following Mukhtarudin’s visit to BTP. The former Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform (PANRB) emphasised that the momentum of this cooperation coincides with a crucial achievement recently attained by BTP in the academic field. The Vitka Foundation is a non-profit institution in Batam engaged in education, overseeing the Batam Tourism Polytechnic (BTP) campus and the Batam Institute of Technology (ITEBA). Asman revealed that Batam Tourism Polytechnic has now officially elevated its academic maturity status. From previously holding a ‘Very Good’ status, the vocational higher education institution has now successfully achieved the highest accreditation, ‘Excellent’. “BTP has now received accreditation upgrading from Very Good to Excellent. With the current status of Batam Tourism Polytechnic, hopefully, we can be more confident about being competitive on the international stage,” said Asman optimistically. Asman further stressed that improving education quality and mastering skills is a non-negotiable requirement so that Indonesian workers are no longer underestimated abroad. BTP’s focus on international-standard hospitality is a concrete answer to breaking the chain of sending informal sector workers who have minimal protection. “So this is important, skill is number one. So that people don’t say that Indonesians only become domestic helpers abroad. We must prove that our graduates are professionals sought after by the global market,” he asserted. Responding to the inauguration of the Migrant Center and Mukhtarudin’s push for BTP to immediately form an Indonesian Migrant Worker Placement Company (P3MI), Asman welcomed it with open arms. According to him, the state’s presence through the P2MI Ministry directly at the upstream level (campus) provides an extraordinary psychological impact for the academic community. “With the presence of Mr Mukhtarudin on our campus, this will be excellent energy for all of us at the VITKA Foundation and BTP to keep moving forward, preparing formal and procedural pathways for the nation’s children who want to pursue careers internationally,” concluded Asman.