Indonesia Proposes Dual Citizenship to Lure Overseas Workers

Indonesia is exploring the possibility of offering dual citizenship to individuals of Indonesian descent in a bid to attract more skilled workers to the country, as revealed by Luhut Pandjaitan, the coordinating minister for maritime affairs and investment, on Tuesday.

Under current Indonesian law, dual citizenship for adults is not recognized, mandating individuals with dual passports to select one nationality and relinquish the other upon reaching 18 years of age. However, Luhut Pandjaitan announced plans to grant dual citizenship to former Indonesian citizens residing abroad, although specifics regarding this proposal were not disclosed.

The announcement came ahead of Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's commitment to invest $1.7 billion in Indonesia. Speaking at a briefing alongside Nadella, Luhut Pandjaitan outlined Indonesia's ambition to have nearly 3,000 young professionals trained as developers by 2029, along with the establishment of an artificial intelligence center in Bali.

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"We also invite diaspora Indonesia and we give them also, soon, dual citizen," stated Luhut Pandjaitan, expressing optimism that this initiative would attract highly skilled Indonesians back to their homeland.

The move to offer dual citizenship comes amid concerns about a brain drain, with many talented Indonesians seeking better employment opportunities abroad. Data from the Directorate General of Immigration revealed that approximately 4,000 Indonesians acquired Singaporean citizenship between 2019 and 2022.

While the immigration agency has yet to provide official commentary on the proposed dual citizenship policy, Indonesia's existing legislation prohibits dual citizenship. This prohibition has not deterred Indonesians from pursuing citizenship in countries offering improved job prospects, with an estimated 1,000 Indonesian students between the ages of 25 and 35 opting for Singaporean citizenship annually, according to the country's immigration director.

The issue of dual citizenship gained attention in 2016 when President Joko Widodo dismissed Arcandra Tahar as energy and mining minister shortly after his appointment due to revelations of his possession of both US and Indonesian passports.

As Indonesia seeks to bolster its workforce and retain talent, the proposal to offer dual citizenship presents a potential solution to address the challenges posed by talent migration while promoting the country's economic development and technological advancement.