Best ways to find a job for foreigners in Indonesia

Best Ways to find a Job for Foreigners in Indonesia

Do you have any plans in working in Indonesia? Do you understand the legal requirements for landing a job in Indonesia? This article will help shed a light on the requirements for finding jobs in Indonesia. I believe that surpassing all the requirements in the process of finding a job in Indonesia will ensure peace of mind. Who knows you might end up staying longer in this beautiful country.

Is a foreigner allowed to work in Indonesia?

Indonesia is an archipelago with almost 17000 islands with multiple ethnicity and language. One of the most significant emerging countries is not only in Asia but in the world. Despite being an open economy, Indonesia is not open to foreign workers.

 In a country with almost 270 million in population, government policies prioritize local workers due to the high unemployment rate. According to the bureau of statistics in the year, 2021 Indonesia is averaging a 6.92% for its unemployment rate.

Despite this, in certain sectors like Education, manufacturing plants, and other services, expats are still allowed to work if job descriptions match the skills of the said expat. You will need to have at least a minimum of 5 years of working experience  

Work Permits and Immigration Documents

To be able to work legally in Indonesia, an employer has to obtain work permits from the labor ministry. The Indonesian Labor ministry has a dedicated website to help the employer secure the work permit. For the Indonesian government to accept a company’s application for your employment, the company/employer must:

1. justify why this position needs to be filled by an expat,
2. show that the expat has the proper educational background
3. satisfy the questions of the department of manpower at the interview
4. And there must be an open slot in the company’s submitted/approved manpower plan

Simultaneously the employer has to secure a visa from the immigration directorate. The expat needs to have a passport valid for a minimum of 18 months. For further information, you can obtain information from the Immigration directorate website

Jobseeking in Indonesia.  

If a foreigner has plans in working in Indonesia, the first thing he has to do is apply to multinational companies from the home countries that established offices of manufacturing plants in Indonesia. This approach is fast and easy as hiring companies from the home country can closely coordinate with their Indonesian counterpart and seek assistance in processing all legal documents requirements.

Just like regular jobseekers, you can use Job boards or sites in Indonesia. You can also seek job site postings located in neighboring countries. From time to time, they post job openings with assignments to Indonesia. Some Job board example quite famous in Asia is Jobstreet  You would need to create a profile and upload your CV. Once completed, you can start your job search and application. Other sites include Indeed, Jobsdb, and Glassdoor  All with almost similar procedures for registration and application.

Another way to search for jobs in Indonesia is to engage with Head hunters or executive search agencies. One of the famous headhunters in Indonesia is Michael Page or Robert Walters. You will need to search for a job match and upload your updated CV. Some openings indicate who the poster is. You can contact them directly through email or call the contact number. You can make initial discussions regarding the targeted job.

Last but not the least, you can start networking as part of your job-seeking techniques. It is one of the most effective ways of landing a job. You can go to Job fairs and start to look for potential opportunities. You can invite a former colleague for a coffee to discuss how to move forward with your plans. You can also use LinkedIn. A great online flat form to connect and spread your network. Doing networking effectively enables you to test job markets and further improve your knowledge regarding targeted and open job positions.

How to ensure longevity in your Indonesian workplace?

As mentioned in the first part of the article, Indonesia is a multiethnic and language country. To be more effective in your workplace, it is important to start and continuously learn not only the language but the culture as well. Doing so ensures effective engagement with local workplace colleagues Minimizing language barriers increases your productivity, English is quite popular in Indonesia, but fewer locals know how to use it. Except maybe from a famous tourist destination. For expats to effectively work in Indonesia, learn the language.  

Yes, it is not easy to find work in Indonesia for foreigners but is possible. But if an opportunity arises with a proper job match with all legalities issues properly address then you will have the opportunity. You may realize how beautiful Indonesia is and make her your second home.