Indonesia Moves to Protect Platform Workers and Boost Digital Talent

Indonesia is urging the inclusion of platform‑based workers—such as ride‑hailing drivers and couriers—under the country's existing labor law. Advocates cite the ILO Convention 193 on decent work in the platform economy and argue that the relationship between app companies and workers meets the legal definition of employment under Article 1(15) of the 2003 Labor Law. Currently, many platform workers lack social security, minimum wages, occupational safety, paid leave and collective‑bargaining rights.

At the same time, Indonesia is confronting a demographic‑bonus window as a large, young workforce coincides with rapid digital transformation. Officials warn that the share of ICT‑qualified workers is only about 0.8% of the labor force, while the digital economy could be worth US$600 billion by 2030. To realise this potential, the government stresses the need for rapid up‑skilling and education that equips workers to use AI and other technologies, especially as the proportion of the working‑age population is projected to fall after 2025.