The minister delivered this message during a public lecture at the New Student Campus Life Orientation Program (PKKMB) held at the Senayan Indoor Tennis Stadium, Jakarta, on Monday, August 11, 2025.
Carrying the theme “Preparing to Become Global Talent: Smart, Caring, and Resilient in the Era of Global Mobility”, Abdul Kadir highlighted the vast opportunities available for Indonesia’s young generation amid the demographic bonus.
Recent data shows that Indonesia’s workforce has reached 153.3 million people, with 7.28 million unemployed.
Meanwhile, developed countries such as Japan, South Korea, and most of Europe are facing an aging population crisis and labor shortages.
“Working abroad is not only about earning a bigger salary but also about gaining knowledge, improving skills, and building international networks,” Abdul Kadir said in UPN Veteran Jakarta’s official release.
He presented several salary comparisons, including caregivers in Japan who can earn between IDR 20 million–25 million per month, fishery workers in South Korea earning IDR 15 million–20 million, and nurses in Germany with a minimum salary of IDR 50 million.
In fields like information technology or hotel management, incomes can even reach hundreds of millions of rupiah per month.
According to the P2MI Minister, there are four strategic reasons for working abroad:
Transfer of knowledge, which occurs naturally while living abroad.
Transfer of skills, fostering a more professional work culture.
Broadening global perspectives.
Building international networks that will be valuable in the future.
“No world leader has ever succeeded without a strong international network,” Abdul Kadir stressed.
He emphasized that the preparation to become global talent should start in college.
Students are encouraged to actively participate in organizations, discussion groups, or extracurricular activities to develop communication, leadership, and mental resilience.
“Use your time on campus to build friendships. There is no successful life ahead without strong friendships, both at home and abroad,” Abdul Kadir said.
As a concrete form of support, he plans to collaborate with UPNVJ to establish a Migrant Center as a hub for language training, skills development, and knowledge about destination countries.
Abdul Kadir also intends to promote the formation of extracurricular migrant classes for students interested in working abroad after graduation.
“The four requirements are: master the language, have strong mental resilience, possess skills, and understand the destination country,” Abdul Kadir stated.
Closing his presentation, the P2MI Minister asserted that working abroad is also an act of nationalism. Last year, remittances from Indonesian migrant workers reached IDR 253.3 trillion.
“Loving your country does not always mean taking up arms. Sending foreign exchange from abroad to strengthen Indonesia’s economy is also a real expression of patriotism,” Abdul Kadir concluded. (www.upnvj.ac.id)
