No Need to Go to Java, PMI Candidates to Japan As Long as Makassar Can Test Directly in the Region

MAKASSAR - Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) candidates from South Sulawesi and the eastern Indonesian region no longer need to fly to Java Island just to take the language certification exam. The presence of a basic Japanese language proficiency test location in Makassar officially cuts the cost and time burden of preparation significantly.

The Head of the South Sulawesi Manpower and Transmigration Service (Disnakertrans), Jayadi Nas, emphasized that this reduction in accommodation channels would increase the opportunities for local workers to access work and internship programs to Japan legally.

"We hope that not only the test is present in Makassar, but also the coaching and training. Thus, prospective workers do not have to spend a large additional cost," said Jayadi as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, June 18.

This step is considered strategic given the high demand for skilled workers in Japan to overcome the crisis of aging population and declining birth rates. The head of the Japanese Consulate in Makassar, Ohashi Koichi, said that young workers from East Indonesia will contribute directly to the revitalization of industry there.

The Japanese language proficiency test opened in Makassar on June 15, 2026 is an absolute requirement to obtain a Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) residence permit or Specified Skilled Worker No. 1. The official scheme is an important instrument for formal foreign workers to fill various industrial sectors in Japan.