Check a job ID (Baca halaman ini dalam bahasa Indonesia)

Working in Cambodia, Myanmar or Thailand: why Indonesia has no legal placement there

Written by KarirAman editorial team Approved by Kaiser Khan (editor), Updated

Indonesia has no placement cooperation with Cambodia, Myanmar or Thailand, and domestic work in the Middle East is still banned. The legal basis.

Summary

  • Law 18/2017 Article 31: migrant workers may only go to countries that protect foreign workers, have a written agreement with Indonesia, or insure foreign workers.
  • In April 2025 the Minister P2MI said Indonesia has no placement cooperation with Cambodia, Myanmar or Thailand.
  • Kepmenaker 260/2015 stopped placement with individual employers in the Middle East, and the Kemnaker legal database lists it as in force.
  • KP2MI says about 25,000 non-procedural migrant workers leave for the Middle East each year, often on umrah or ziarah visas.
  • Law 18/2017 Article 72 forbids placing migrant workers in a country declared closed.
Show the full summaryShow less
On this page
  1. Can Indonesians legally work in Cambodia, Myanmar or Thailand?
  2. What is the legal basis for stopping or banning placement?
  3. Why are job offers in Cambodia, Myanmar or Thailand dangerous?
  4. Is all work in the Middle East banned?
  5. How do brokers send workers to closed countries?
  6. Where do you report an offer of work in a closed country, or a relative trapped there?
  7. What is the placement status of these countries?
  8. Where can you report or get help?

Can Indonesians legally work in Cambodia, Myanmar or Thailand?

As of 7 October 2026 there are two groups to know. First, Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand: on 14 April 2025 the Minister P2MI said Indonesia has no placement cooperation with these three countries, so placing migrant workers there is not allowed. Second, placement with individual employers, meaning household employers, in Middle East countries is still stopped under Kepmenaker 260/2015. KarirAman adds a country to this list only when there is an official statement or regulation.

Why are job offers in Cambodia, Myanmar or Thailand dangerous?

When announcing the ban, the Minister P2MI said many Indonesians in those three countries became victims of human trafficking. Kemlu brought home 1,203 Indonesians from online-scam syndicates in Myanmar between 20 February and 16 July 2026; according to Kemlu, they had been offered high-paying jobs, usually in Thailand, then moved illegally, and faced passport confiscation, restricted movement, intimidation and violence.

Is all work in the Middle East banned?

Kepmenaker 260/2015 stops and bans placement of migrant workers with individual employers, meaning household employers, in Middle East countries. On 30 March 2026, KP2MI's Director General of Protection confirmed the moratorium is still in force. For other jobs, make sure the vacancy is recorded on SISKOP2MI by an Aktif P3MI, and check the destination country page on KarirAman where one exists.

How do brokers send workers to closed countries?

KP2MI describes recurring methods. For the Middle East, brokers use umrah or ziarah visas, and the workers skip the pilgrimage and are sent on to countries such as Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt. For Cambodia, syndicates use ASEAN visa-free tourist entry so Indonesians enter without work visas, lured by well-paid digital jobs that turn out to be online scams. In both cases there is no Placement Agreement and no licensed P3MI.

Where do you report an offer of work in a closed country, or a relative trapped there?

Refuse, and do not hand over your passport, ID card or money. Keep evidence of the offer without sharing the recruiter's numbers or links. Report to KP2MI through the official channels below. If you see signs of trafficking, such as a held passport or being kept in a holding house before departure, report to the police at an SPKT desk or the Polri Call Center 110. If a family member is already abroad and in danger, contact Kemlu's Portal Peduli WNI.

What is the placement status of these countries?

Not open to Indonesians Cambodia, Myanmar and Thailand since 14 April 2025

Indonesia has no migrant worker placement cooperation with these three countries, according to the Minister P2MI on 14 April 2025.

Status as of 7 October 2026 Metro TV News (official statement via media)

The status of legal routes that are currently closed, including the Middle East domestic work moratorium, comes straight from KarirAman's route data with the date it was checked:

Job offers in Cambodia that end in online-scam compounds are explained on the page on Cambodia scam compounds.

Where can you report or get help?

Frequently asked questions

I was offered an admin job in Cambodia with the ticket paid. Is it safe?

There is no official placement route to Cambodia, because Indonesia has no placement cooperation with it. KP2MI says syndicates use ASEAN visa-free entry to bring Indonesians in without work visas and then put them to work in online scams. Refuse the offer and report it to KP2MI.

Can I work in Thailand independently?

The Minister P2MI said Indonesia has no placement cooperation with Thailand, so placement there is not allowed. According to Kemlu, many victims of online-scam syndicates in Myanmar were first offered high-paying jobs in Thailand and then moved illegally.

Can I go on umrah and sort out a job in Saudi Arabia later?

No. An umrah or ziarah visa is not a work visa. KP2MI says brokers use umrah or ziarah visas to send non-procedural workers to the Middle East, and some end up in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon or Egypt. Placement with individual employers in that region is still stopped.

Who wrote and reviewed this page?

Written by KarirAman editorial team Published Updated

Prepared with AI assistance. Checked against official sources and approved for publication by Kaiser Khan (editor). Approval date: .

Sources

The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.

  1. Undang-Undang Nomor 18 Tahun 2017 tentang Pelindungan Pekerja Migran Indonesia Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · UU 18/2017 · accessed
  2. Fakta-fakta Target 425 Ribu PMI Tahun 2025 hingga WNI Dilarang Bekerja di 3 Negara Ini (Metro TV) Metro TV News · official statement via media · accessed
  3. KP2MI Nilai Bebas Visa ASEAN Buka Celah WNI Terjerat Industri Penipuan Online di Kamboja NU Online · official statement via media · accessed
  4. Kemlu RI Pulangkan 1.203 WNI Korban Sindikat Online Scam dari Myanmar hingga Juli 2026 NTV News (Antara) · official statement via media · accessed
  5. Keputusan Menteri Ketenagakerjaan Nomor 260 Tahun 2015 tentang Penghentian dan Pelarangan Penempatan TKI pada Pengguna Perseorangan di Negara-negara Kawasan Timur Tengah JDIH Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan · Kepmenaker 260/2015 · accessed
  6. Masih moratorium, Kementerian P2MI berantas calo PMI ke Timteng (ANTARA) ANTARA · official statement via media · accessed
  7. Undang-Undang Nomor 21 Tahun 2007 tentang Pemberantasan Tindak Pidana Perdagangan Orang Kementerian Hukum RI (peraturan.go.id) · UU 21/2007 · accessed
  8. Sentra Pelayanan Kepolisian Terpadu (SPKT) Kepolisian Negara Republik Indonesia · accessed
  9. Portal Peduli WNI: pelayanan dan pelindungan WNI di luar negeri Kementerian Luar Negeri RI · accessed
  10. SISKOP2MI: Daftar Lowongan KP2MI/BP2MI (SISKOP2MI) · accessed
How to cite

KarirAman (2026). Working in Cambodia, Myanmar or Thailand: why Indonesia has no legal placement there. Updated 8 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/work-abroad/no-placement-countries/

Save this page

Report a fake job Report a data problem How we handle corrections

Change log
  • : Closed-route statuses now come straight from the route data, with links to the Cambodia scam page and the Middle East domestic work moratorium.