Becoming a migrant worker abroad is often a choice to improve one’s life and escape poverty. Despite being called ‘Foreign Exchange Heroes’ for their financial contributions to their home villages, not all migrant workers achieve their dreams.
Many face legal issues due to illegal worker status, human trafficking, and the risk of divorce back home.
A study by the Center for Population and Policy Studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada (PSKK UGM), in collaboration with Child Health and Parent Migration in Southeast Asia (CHAMPSEA) since 2008, has uncovered the phenomenon of marital disruption among Indonesian migrant households.
Professor Sukamdi, a researcher at PSKK UGM, explained that while migration is assumed to be a way out of poverty, the reality is often different.
Although remittances can help them survive during the pandemic and stabilize their economy, many migrant workers face family disharmony.
“This is the most significant impact felt by Indonesian migrant households. Many divorce cases occur because the workers must go abroad, causing them to be separated from their families, which disrupts family harmony,” Professor Sukamdi said during the presentation of the research results last Thursday. Feb. 27, 2025.
The biggest victims in these situations are the children of migrant workers.
Migrant children often suffer from mental health issues such as emotional symptoms, delinquent behavior, and hyperactivity.
“The impact is significant on the mental health of the children,” he noted.
According to Professor Sukamdi, the government’s data only captures a small fraction of the migrant workers who go abroad.
Most of these migrant workers are women, with many cases involving workers who travel abroad without proper or legal documentation.
This is often due to unscrupulous employers who seek workers but bypass official channels.
“Some employers promise to handle all the documents, but it never happens, forcing the workers to become illegal immigrants. These schemes are crafted in such a way that the deception goes unnoticed,” Professor Sukamdi explained.
Professor Lucy Jordan, a CHAMPSEA researcher, stated that her team, along with PSKK UGM, has been conducting extensive research on international migration.
The research was conducted in Ponorogo, a region with a significant migrant population.
Their findings indicate a shift in societal attitudes toward becoming migrant workers.
“Many people no longer recommend going abroad as a solution to poverty. There’s been a change in mindset,” she revealed.
Dr. Ely Susanto, a lecturer from the Department of Public Policy and Management at UGM’s Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (Fisipol UGM), emphasized that the increasing number of Indonesians going abroad for work or education highlights the need for legal protection.
“We must ensure they are not lulled into a false sense of security with the term ‘Foreign Exchange Heroes,’” he stated.
According to data from the Indonesian Migrant Worker Protection Agency (BP2MI), from January to August 2024, 207,090 Indonesian migrant workers were deployed to various countries.
Of these, 108,477 worked in the informal sector, while 98,613 were in the formal sector.
Female workers outnumbered men, with 141,627 women compared to 65,463 men.
The issue of marital disruption among Indonesian migrant workers is a matter of serious concern.
The government is expected to provide protection not only for the migrant workers themselves but also for their families left behind, especially the children in migrant households.
It’s crucial to prevent a situation where the pursuit of a better life leads to deep trauma for the children left behind.
Author: Jelita Agustine
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Lintang
Photographs: Freepik and PSKK UGM