UAE opens 500 vacancies, Indonesian workers ready to fill hospitality sector
The Indonesian government is opening opportunities for the placement of 500 Indonesian migrant workers (PMI) in the hospitality sector in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates (UAE), following plans for a large-scale resort to begin operations in 2027.
The Deputy Minister of the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (P2MI), Christina Aryani, stated that this opportunity is part of an effort to expand the job market for Indonesian workers in the UAE, particularly within the hotel and tourism sectors. “The hospitality sector is one of the sectors that requires special attention in our efforts to expand migrant worker placement in the UAE, in line with the communications and opportunity mapping previously conducted with the Indonesian Ambassador to the UAE,” Christina said during an online meeting with the Consul General of the Republic of Indonesia (KJRI) in Dubai, Denny Lesmana, on Wednesday.
According to a press release from the Ministry of P2MI, the resort located in Ras Al Khaimah will begin operating in 2027 with a capacity of 1,530 rooms, 15 restaurants, and various other supporting facilities. The project is expected to employ approximately 9,500 workers from various countries. In the initial phase, around 500 positions are available for Indonesian labour in the hospitality sector, open to both recent graduates and experienced workers.
“This opportunity is good news for graduates of tourism schools and colleges in Indonesia, who often face obstacles regarding work experience requirements during international recruitment processes,” she added.
To accelerate the recruitment process, the KJRI Dubai will facilitate an online meeting between the resort management and several Indonesian schools and colleges on 17 June. Additionally, a job fair is planned to expedite selection and placement. “We will identify and invite tourism schools that have a good track record of producing job-ready graduates. The more institutions involved, the greater the opportunity for Indonesians to fill the available labour needs,” said Christina.
Despite the wide-open opportunities, Christina emphasised that the entire placement process must follow applicable regulations and be conducted through official channels. “As regulators, we will explain the placement mechanism for Indonesian migrant workers. We want to ensure the recruitment process follows procedures and uses licensed Indonesian migrant worker placement companies (P3MI), so that worker protection is guaranteed and there is a responsible party if issues arise,” she said.
She also expressed hope that the resort management would promptly provide details regarding labour requirements, including necessary qualifications and competencies, to ensure the recruitment process is effective. Meanwhile, the Indonesian Consul General in Dubai, Denny Lesmana, stated that his office has requested support from the Ministry of P2MI to ensure all recruitment and placement processes comply with regulations. “We hope for the support of the Ministry of P2MI in preparing the mechanism so that the recruitment process follows the rules. This will make the coaching, protection, and service for migrant workers easier to implement,” he said.
According to Denny, the resort management’s interest in recruiting Indonesian workers is linked to their positive experience with the quality of Indonesian human resources. “Their operational director previously worked in Bali and Jakarta, so they understand the quality, work ethic, and capabilities of the Indonesian workforce. They welcome Indonesia’s desire to participate in meeting the labour needs for this project,” he concluded.