3 - Nurse Migration from Indonesia: Past, Present, and Future

Background

The ongoing health transformation in Indonesia has facilitated the deployment of Indonesian nurses to foreign countries. The global demand for nurses has prompted national policies to adapt to the current mobility trends of the health workforce. Despite the high demand for Indonesian nurses overseas, considerations for workforce self-sufficiency and sustainability are imperative.

Aim

The aim of this study was to describe the migration implications within the context of the international nursing labor market, as well as to address issues of workforce self-sufficiency and sustainability.

Findings

The skilled migration of nurses from Indonesia has predominantly occurred through government channels. The continuous transformation in health care has led to increasing demand from European countries, which has been facilitated through channels other than government ones. Current policies are adopting comprehensive migration management strategies with an emphasis on workforce self-sufficiency and sustainability. This migration trend has significant implications for both Indonesia and the destination countries, affecting healthcare quality, workforce stability, and economic factors in complex ways.

Conclusion

In response to external demands and in alignment with its health transformation goals, particularly focusing on the human resources for health pillar, the Indonesian government is actively encouraging and facilitating the migration of nurses overseas, primarily through bilateral cooperation. This migration trend has far-reaching implications for healthcare quality, workforce stability, and economic factors, especially from sending country perspective.

Co-Author 1
Rifky Octavia Pradipta

Co-Author 2
Anna Kurniati