Indonesia repatriates 152 citizens deported from Saudi Arabia

The Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry has helped repatriate 152 Indonesian citizens who were deported from Saudi Arabia for violating stay permits and employment regulations.

In a statement received in Jakarta on Saturday, the ministry reported that the deportees returned home via Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten, on Thursday (May 1).

These Indonesian nationals had been detained at the Syumaisi Immigration Detention Facility in Mecca for working illegally in Saudi Arabia.

The group consisted of 130 women, 13 men, and nine children, most of whom came from provinces with high numbers of Indonesian migrant workers, such as West Java and West Nusa Tenggara.

According to the ministry, the deportation was made possible through intensive coordination between the Indonesian and Saudi Arabian governments.

The Indonesian Consulate General in Jeddah played a key role in ensuring the migrants' safe and smooth return, including by handling the necessary documents and communicating with local authorities.

This year, the Indonesian government has facilitated the return of 1,304 nationals from Saudi Arabia in seven repatriation batches, all for similar violations.

In response to these ongoing cases, the Foreign Affairs Ministry continues to urge prospective Indonesian migrant workers to seek overseas employment only through legal and official channels to avoid legal complications abroad.

On March 15, 2025, Minister for Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers, Abdul Kadir Karding, noted that women account for about 70 percent of Indonesians working illegally in the Middle East.

Karding said his ministry is working with the police, the State Intelligence Agency (BIN), the military, and immigration offices to address the issue.

“We have recently established a dedicated desk to handle matters related to human trafficking and the protection of Indonesian migrant workers,” he remarked.