The number of Indonesian nurses continues to increase, with a surplus of 176,470, and is expected to reach 695,217 in 2025.

Bogor, West Java (Indonesia Window) – The Indonesian Ministry of Health projection shows that Indonesia has a surplus of 176,470 nursing staff members in 2021, and is expected to reach 695,217 people in 2025.

"The growing number of Indonesian nurses has increased the number of destination countries they work that require special skills," head of the Population Research Center of the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) Nawawi said in a press statement from BRIN quoted here on Monday.

"This opens up opportunities for Indonesia to place its nursing staff members amidst limited employment opportunities in the country," he added.

Nawawi continued, through official cooperation programs Indonesia has placed nursing staff members in various countries, such as Japan, the United States (US), the Netherlands, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia. Apart from that, there are also Indonesian nurses who work in these countries by personal application.

Meanwhile, a researcher at the center, Aswatini, said that younger-aged nurses tend to work abroad to develop their skills and knowledge. Meanwhile, most of older-aged nurses want to continue working in the country, because they want to get permanent jobs and established careers, as well as considering family matters.

Another researcher, Muamar Haqi, said that the placement of nursing staff members abroad was carried out through several programs and bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and countries of destination.

Indonesian nurses who were officially assigned to Japan were carried out through the Indonesia-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (IJ-EPA), and placement to Germany were implemented through the Triple Win program under an agreement between the Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Agency (BP2MI) and the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (BA), he explained.

"Indonesia has also collaborated in the health sector with Saudi Arabia since 2017. Apart from that, individuals can also apply directly for job vacancies abroad, for example through the Japanese Specified Skilled Workers (SSW) program," Muamar said.

Working as a nurse abroad requires qualifications according to competency standards in the destination country.

The director of the Bahana Inspirasi Muda Training and Skills Institute (LPK), who is also the Indonesian representative for Handi Network International, Co., Ltd. Japan, Sony Dwi Ariyandi, said that prospective migrant nurses who apply job vacancy through the IJ-EPA program must meet three requirements.

These requirements are mastering Japanese at N5 level with a certificate from the LPK or a course institution, having work experience for two years and passing the certificate of registration exam, and having undergone Japanese language training for six months to one year in Indonesia, and six months in Japan, after passing the IJ-EPA selection.

"Apart from IJ-EPA, there is an apprenticeship program which requires a candidate to have N4 level Japanese language skills with an official exam certificate," Muamar noted.

Reporting by Indonesia Window