Young Indonesians secure Singapore citizenship as many lament ‘skills mismatch’ back home

A concerning trend has emerged as many young Indonesians relinquish their citizenship to become Singaporeans. The allure of attractive job prospects and generous scholarships in Singapore has drawn their interest. This development has raised alarm among officials, particularly as Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, strives to attain developed nation status by 2045.

Sulfikar Amir, an Indonesia-born Associate Professor of Science, Technology, and Society (STS) and a faculty member in the Sociology Programme at the School of Social Sciences NTU, pointed out that many Indonesian workers would readily choose to reside in Singapore if given a chance, irrespective of whether they acquire citizenship. This indicates their dissatisfaction with the prevailing conditions in Indonesia, serving as a clear signal for the government to enhance the employment ecosystem for the country's young population.