<![CDATA[Background: The issue of overcharging in the placement of Indonesian Migrant Workers (PMI) to Taiwan has once again come under public and media scrutiny, resulting in a reputational crisis for P3MI (Indonesian Migrant Worker Placement Companies) and threatening business sustainability. Objective: This study aims to provide empirical evidence of the placement fee crisis (overcharging) in the PMI placement process and to analyze crisis communication strategies in responding to this controversy. Methods: The method used is mixed methods, with quantitative analysis through regression and qualitative analysis through interviews with the Chairman of ASPATAKI (the Indonesian Association of Manpower Placement Companies), the Head of the KDEI (Indonesian Economic and Trade Office) in Taiwan, and 10 directors of P3MI. Results: The quantitative findings show that official communication intensity and the COVID-19 period are marginally significant at the 10% significance level, whereas regulatory intensity and media exposure do not show significant partial effects on PMI crisis cases. The qualitative findings indicate that overcharging is a long-standing structural phenomenon dating back to the early 1990s; therefore, recent crisis dynamics largely reflect the renewed public visibility of an existing issue rather than the emergence of a substantially new practice. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the strengthening of collaboration among stakeholders in issue management and crisis communication. Strengthening regulations, supervision, and transparent communication are key to preventing the re-escalation of controversies in the public sphere.]]>
