Millions of Indonesians working abroad contributed significantly to the country's economy last year with a total remittance value of Rp 120 trillion (US$11.64 billion), a manpower official said.

"Their remittances enabled the Indonesian economy to continue recording positive growth. Indonesian migrant workers overseas contribute considerably to the sustainability of the national economy," said Jumhur Yusuf, head of the National Migrant Workers Placement and Protection Agency (BNP2TKI).

The money sent home by the migrant workers, in fact, serves as a lifeline to economies in many regions, he said.

At present, about six million Indonesians are making their living as migrant workers overseas, approximately 4.3 million of them with work permits. The six million workers, Jumhur said, supported some 30 million Indonesians who were their next of kin living at home.

With such a contribution to the economy, Yusuf said the government was determined to improve public services for people seeking work abroad by, among others, setting up a one-stop immigration service for migrant workers in each province, such as the one that already exists in Mataram, West Nusatenggara (NTB).

"The one-stop migrant workers service office in Mataram issues all the required official papers to a would-be migrant worker in just one day. The process there is quick, easy and cheap," he said.