Indonesia and Portugal aim to seal migrant worker pact by November

Indonesia's Ministry for the Protection of Migrant Workers (P2MI) is targeting a late-November signing of a bilateral framework with Portugal's Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA). The agreement follows a pilot scheme that has sent 30 Indonesian workers to Portugal's hospitality sector and seeks to broaden placements to construction, agriculture, healthcare and fisheries. Draft provisions outline structured protection measures such as dispute-resolution mechanisms, legal assistance, integration into social security, formal complaint channels and clear repatriation procedures.

To accelerate recruitment, the ministries plan a fast-track protocol for document verification, job matching and visa processing. Both officials highlighted that the expanded labor flow will prioritize safety, rights verification and compliance across all sectors.