At IA-CEPA signing ceremony (Photo: AFP) Hanoi (VNA) – Indonesiawill conduct a worker-exchange programme with Australia to boost its human resources,a senior government official announced just days after the Indonesia-AustraliaComprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA) entered into force.
Indonesian Trade Minister Agus Suparmanto saidIndonesian workers in health care, telecommunication, transportation, tourismand other sectors were eligible to join the programme and could get up to sixmonths of training and work experience in Australia.
The government is aiming for 100Indonesian workers to join the programme in the first year, while the number ofparticipants is expected to gradually increase to 500 within five years.
During a video press conference lastweekend, Suparmanto said the government will partner with the IndonesianChamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), the Indonesian Employers Association(Apindo) and the Indonesian-Australian Business Council (IABC) during theimplementation.
With the IA-CEPA, he said Indonesiaaimed to slash the country’s export deficit to Australia by half in 2021 toaround 1.5 billion USD from 3.2 billion USD last year.
Furthermore, Indonesia and Australia have also decided to prioritiseindustry partnerships in food agriculture and electric vehicles as well astechnical and vocational education and training (TVET) within the first year ofIA-CEPA, according to the minister./.
