Migrating to work in other countries is a big decision to make, especially for individuals who have had children. It requires a continuous process of adjustment on the part of not only the migrants but also the families who stay behind. With careful planning, migrants can maximize the desirable outcomes of their migration and minimize its potentially deleterious impacts on themselves and their families. Below are some useful tips to guide you throughout your migratory journeys:

BEFORE MAKING A DECISION

You need to consider the following aspects before making a decision to migrate:

  • Employment duration

A single employment term typically lasts for two to three years. It means that you have to live away from your family for quite a while. Things may be much more challenging if you are married and have children. In that case, a lot has to be discussed with your partner, for example, how child-rearing duties will be shared and performed from a distance for your children’s health, education, and general well-being.

  • Cultural differences

You are likely to work in a country in which people speak different languages, embrace different religions, eat food you are not familiar with, and practice traditions you have hardly seen or heard of. You might have more difficulties practicing your religious belief, getting familiar food, or communicating your thoughts in the language that they understand. Ask yourself if you are prepared to work in such a culturally different environment.

  • Work arrangements

If you work in the domestic sector, you may have to live with your employer and share space with their family members. If you intend to work on fishing boats, it might take weeks before you come ashore. If you wish to work in the plantation sector, you might have to live in more remote and rural areas of your country of destination. In whichever case, you should find out as much information as you can about the scope and nature of the work you are about to do, as well as the living arrangements that it entails.

  • Goals

Even before preparing to migrate, you should ask yourself: What goals are you trying to achieve by working abroad? How long will you be working abroad? How much money will you spend, save up and invest monthly? How much will you have saved up over the intended years of your employment? What will you do once you return home? And how will you prepare for it while you are still in the destination country? Things might need a little adjustment along the way, but questions like these are important to keep you on track. You need to continually remind yourself of these questions as you go on your journey.

  • Country of destination

The choice of destination country can have wide-ranging impacts on you and the family you leave behind. You should select a country that protects your right to communication because it is central to the sustenance of your long-distance relationships or parenting. You should also consider weekly rest days with great weight. Rest days are valuable opportunities to make friends, relieve stress, and expand your capabilities. Some migrants use their rest days to learn the skills necessary for starting their businesses once they return home, such as hairdressing, cooking, facial treatment, baking, tailoring, language, financial literacy, and computer skills. Find out more about other employment rights that potential destination countries guarantee before deciding the country to which you will migrate for work.

 

PRE-DEPARTURE PREPARATION

You should carefully consider the following things in preparation for your deployment:

  • Know your rights

As a worker, you are entitled to a range of employment rights that are protected by various international human rights norms. These rights might vary depending on your country of destination, but they generally include:

  • Employment contract
  • Communication and information (to own a mobile phone)
  • Rest days
  • Decent wage
  • Paid annual leave
  • Defined work hours
  • Overtime pay
  • Food
  • Health insurance
  • Work injury insurance
  • Social security (pension)
  • Joining a union
  • Privacy (private room)
  • Know your duties

Find out about the scope of your work and get yourself adequate training in order to perform your work responsibilities well.

  • Language

You need to pick up some language skills for effective communication with your employer and/or your colleagues. Keep a notebook to jot down unfamiliar words. Learn to use an online dictionary or Google Translate to get going.

  • Cultural understanding

You should familiarize yourself with some basic cultural aspects of your country of destination. Learn about the country’s most common foods, religious beliefs and practices, and work ethics. The more you know, the faster you will adapt to your new environment.

  • Details of employment agency

Keep all records of your departure, including the names and addresses of your employment agencies. Snap pictures of all documents you are asked to sign and store them somewhere safe. For example, send the pictures to a trusted friend and immediately remove all sent files from your chat/memory. These files will serve as valuable evidence in case anything happens.

 

ON ARRIVAL IN DESTINATION COUNTRY

You should do the following things as soon as you set foot in your country of destination:

  • Reporting to the Indonesian representative

Once you arrive in your destination country, you should immediately alert your arrival to the Indonesian mission nearest to you, whether it is an embassy, a consulate-general, or a trade office (as in Taipei, Taiwan). This is so that they know where you are and can help you when you are in need.

  • Keep your family updated

Inform your trusted family member in Indonesia of the address of your residential or workplace in the destination country, and keep them updated about any change of residence. You should also share a photo of your passport and visa with him/her. This information will be very useful in case of an emergency.

  • Important numbers

Keep a written note of the phone numbers of your trusted family members in case your mobile phone gets confiscated and you need to contact them urgently. 

  • Emergency help

Identify the police offices, safe houses, or non-governmental organizations nearest to your workplace in case you need emergency help. You should also keep note of their helplines or emergency contact numbers.

  • Bank account

Once you have settled down, you should immediately open a bank account. Ask your employer to pay your monthly salary via bank transfer. It will serve as evidence of (non)payment to guard yourself against wage theft.

  • Personal documents

Keep your personal documents. These include your passport, work permit/visa, employment contract, and bankbook.

  • Long-distance relationship

Communicate regularly with your loved ones back home. If you have children, check in on them by regularly contacting them, their main caretakers, teachers, and immediate neighbors. Despite physical separation, regular communication helps maintain emotional connectedness.

  • Financial management

Keep and manage your own finances. Refrain from having somebody else do it for you. Determine how much you will remit to your family, spend on needs, and save up in your own account.

  • Mutual understanding

Harmonious relationship is a two-way street; you should learn the do’s and don’ts in the destination country to avoid misunderstanding, but your employer should also keep an open mind to learn how your cultural background shapes the way you do things. Always communicate your thoughts and feelings clearly. Refrain from assuming that the other person understands your thoughts and feelings without you communicating them.

 

PREPARING TO RETURN HOME

Without prior planning, it’s easy to feel lost and helpless when you go home to restart your life. Prepare for the following things before you return to Indonesia:

  • Anticipate reverse culture shock

As you migrate, many things are changing at home. You also begin adapting to a new environment and settle into new routines to the point of slowly losing familiarity with your home. Over the years, this situation can pose real challenges once you return to Indonesia. The factors contributing to so-called ‘reverse culture shock’ might differ from case to case, but these can include income gaps, a changed worldview, and simply a new way of life. You should identify any factors that can potentially impede your process of transitioning to a new life chapter in Indonesia and think about how you will cope with them.

  • Future occupation in Indonesia

You should plan out, as early as possible, your future occupation in Indonesia. Ask yourself these questions:

  • What will you do to make a living back home?
  • What resources have you had in terms of skills, financial capital, and social networks?
  • What other resources do you need to run your business?
  • How will you obtain those necessary resources while you are still in deployment?
  • How will you run your business?
  • Capacity building

The more you carefully plan your future business, the better you are able to identify your needs (knowledge, skills, financial capital, social networking, etc). Spend your rest days on capacity building. Join financial literacy courses. Learn about how to use social media for online marketing. Watch YouTube videos about how to design attractive packaging and target potential customers. Join online talk shows and seminars about starting a business. Talk to other migrant worker friends (who have returned home) about their experience running their businesses.

Updated on 24 September 2021.