Prabowo's Garda urges Turkish embassy to manage Indonesian migrant worker visas

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Gerakan Rakyat Dukung dan Bela (Garda) Prabowo community organisation has proposed that work visa applications for Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) destined for Turkey be managed directly by the Turkish Embassy in Jakarta, rather than through a third party.

Amri Abadi Pilang, Head of the Law and Human Rights Department at Garda Prabowo, stated in Jakarta on Thursday that the proposal was made because the organisation believes that processing visas through a third party has slowed down the process and increased costs.

“The state must be present to provide protection from before departure, during employment, until returning to their hometowns. We urge the Ministry of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers to discuss with the Turkish government so that work visa processing is not handed over to private entities,” he said.

Amri claimed that visa processing costs, which were previously around Rp1.8 million, have now risen to approximately Rp3.4 million after being transferred to a third party. He also alleged that there are additional fees if applicants want a faster process.

According to Amri, delays in visa issuance could hinder the departure of prospective Indonesian migrant workers, causing financial losses. He added that such delays could also damage the working relationship between prospective workers and their employers in Turkey due to scheduling mismatches.

Amri said Garda Prabowo possesses documents and statements from prospective migrant workers and Indonesian Migrant Worker Placement Companies (P3MI) that support these claims. He added that his organisation will stage demonstrations if the issue is not followed up.