Indonesia (ID)

Bali and beyond — Indonesia is a vast tropical archipelago of 17,000+ islands offering affordable living, extraordinary cultural diversity, world-class nature, and a rapidly growing digital economy that attracts digital nomads, retirees, and professionals from around the globe.

Capital: Jakarta

Region: Asia

Language: Indonesian

Currency: IDR (Rp)

Cost of living: Very affordable (index 28)

Emergency: 112

Jobs & Work Permits

Everything you need to find work and get authorised to work in Indonesia.

Ministry of Manpower Indonesia

Kementerian Ketenagakerjaan (Kemnaker)

Foreign workers do not register directly with Kemnaker — the employing company must obtain RPTKA (Manpower Plan) approval and IMTA (work permit) on behalf of the foreign employee. Individuals can check job vacancy information via Karirhub portal (karirhub.kemnaker.go.id).

Services offered:

✓RPTKA (Foreign Worker Utilisation Plan) processing
✓IMTA (Work Permit for Foreign Workers) issuance
✓Labour market information and job vacancy portal (Karirhub)
✓Dispute resolution and industrial relations services
✓Minimum wage gazette publication

Expat eligibility: Foreigners cannot register directly as job-seekers. All legal employment requires employer-initiated RPTKA + IMTA process. Foreign workers must earn minimum USD 1,500/month. Some sectors are restricted to Indonesian nationals only.

Visit Ministry of Manpower Indonesia

💼 Work Permits

EU Citizens

EU citizens have no preferential treatment in Indonesia — same rules apply as all other foreigners. All employment requires RPTKA + IMTA work permit process initiated by the Indonesian employing company. No EU freedom of movement exists. KITAS employer-tied.

Non-EU Citizens

Work permit mandatory for all foreign nationals. Employing company must obtain RPTKA approval from Kemnaker, then IMTA before KITAS application. Minimum salary Rp22,500,000/month (approx. USD 1,500) required. Educational qualifications and relevant work experience verified. Position must not be on the restricted list for foreigners.

EU Blue Card

Indonesia has no EU Blue Card equivalent.

Freelancer Visa

E33G Digital Nomad Visa (Second Home Visa for Remote Workers) — 5-year visa for individuals working remotely for foreign companies. Does not grant permission to work for Indonesian clients or employers. No Indonesian income tax on foreign-sourced income. Requires proof of USD 2,000/month income and international health insurance.

⏱️ Work Culture

Typical hours 40 hours/week — either 5 days × 8 hours or 6 days × 7 hours. Most Jakarta offices work 8:00–17:00 or 9:00–18:00 with 1 hour lunch. Friday prayers (12:00–13:30) factor into Muslim employees' schedules. Overtime common but culturally expected — direct pushback can be career-limiting.

Annual leave 12 days annual leave after 12 months continuous service. Long service leave (masa kerja): additional days for 5+, 10+, 15+ years of service. Cuti bersama (collective leave) often reduces effective days as employers may count public holidays + bridging days against annual leave quota.

Sick leave Employer-paid sick leave: 100% salary first 4 months, 75% months 5–8, 50% months 9–12, 25% thereafter. Doctor's letter (surat dokter) required from day 1 for formal employment. BPJS Ketenagakerjaan JKK covers occupational illness.

Trial period Maximum 3 months for permanent (PKWTT) contracts. Cannot be extended or repeated. Full employment rights apply from day 1 of probation including minimum wage and BPJS.

Notice period Varies by contract and years of service. Typically 30 days for most roles. Long-service employees may have 60-day notice requirements. Mutual termination (PKPU) increasingly common. Wrongful termination: file with PHI court within 30 days of notice.

Salary range Jakarta professional roles: Rp10,000,000–50,000,000+/month depending on seniority. Foreign professionals in multinationals often earn above Indonesian average. Minimum wage (UMP DKI Jakarta 2026): Rp5,729,876/month (a 6.17% increase from 2025). Mid-level manager: Rp15,000,000–35,000,000/month. Senior executive: Rp35,000,000–120,000,000+/month.

Pay frequency Monthly pay is standard. Tunjangan Hari Raya (THR — Holiday Allowance) of 1 month salary mandated by law before Eid al-Fitr. Some companies pay 13th month salary at year-end (not legally mandated but common in multinationals).

Contract types

·PKWTT (Perjanjian Kerja Waktu Tidak Tertentu) — Permanent (open-ended) contract
·PKWT (Perjanjian Kerja Waktu Tertentu) — Fixed-term contract: maximum 5 years total (2+3) per Omnibus Law
·Contract through outsourcing company (alih daya) — common for support functions
·Freelance agreement (perjanjian jasa/kerja lepas) — not employment, no BPJS obligation on employer

🔍 Job Boards

Jobstreet Indonesia

SEEK-owned regional job board dominant in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Largest volume of Indonesian job listings across all industries. English and Indonesian language interface.

LinkedIn Indonesia

Professional network with strong presence among Jakarta's multinational and tech sectors. Essential for networking. Many expat-friendly roles posted exclusively here.

Glints Indonesia

Career platform strong in tech, startup, and digital marketing roles across Indonesia. Particularly popular with younger professionals and remote work positions.

Kalibrr

Skills-based hiring platform used by major Indonesian companies. Good for technology, finance, and graduate-level roles.

Indeed Indonesia

Global job aggregator with strong Indonesian listings. Good for filtering international company openings.

🌍 Expat-Friendly Resources

🌍

InterNations Jakarta Job Board

Expat networking and job listings via InterNations platform. Good for finding roles within the international business community.

🌍

EuroCham Indonesia

European Chamber of Commerce Indonesia — events, networking, and occasional job postings for European professionals in Indonesia.

🌍

AmCham Indonesia

American Chamber of Commerce Indonesia. Business network events and connections to multinational employers.

🌍

Jakarta Globe / Berita Satu

English-language Indonesian news platforms that occasionally post job listings and business event information.

📝 Application Tips

CV format: Indonesian CVs traditionally include personal photo, nationality, religion, marital status, and date of birth — fields not used in Western CVs. For multinational/international companies: modern one-to-two page format without personal details is increasingly accepted. Bahasa Indonesia or English CVs accepted at international companies; Bahasa Indonesia preferred at local firms.

Cover letter: Expected

Language: English is required for multinational companies and senior roles in Jakarta. Bahasa Indonesia is essential for government-related work and positions outside Jakarta. Basic Bahasa Indonesia greatly assists integration and daily work life. Some companies require English proficiency testing (TOEFL/IELTS).

Interviews: Indonesian business culture is hierarchical and relationship-oriented. First interviews often conducted by HR; second round by hiring manager. Dress formally — suit or smart business attire. Punctuality is expected for formal interviews despite "jam karet" in social settings. Research the company thoroughly. Salary negotiation occurs after offer — be polite but direct. Background checks (termasuk SKCK) increasingly standard at multinationals.

🤝 Networking Tips

→LinkedIn active use is essential — Indonesian business culture increasingly transacts through professional networks
→Join industry-specific chambers of commerce: EuroCham, AmCham, AusCham, British Chamber of Commerce Indonesia (BritCham)
→Attend InterNations Jakarta monthly events — mix of expat professionals and internationally-minded Indonesians
→Follow Jakarta-based startup community events: Echelon, Tech in Asia events, Gojek ecosystem meetups
→Build relationships with Indonesian university alumni networks — UI (Universitas Indonesia), ITB, UGM, and BINUS graduates dominate corporate Indonesia
→WeChat and WhatsApp groups for industry sectors — networking in Indonesia frequently happens via WhatsApp communities
→Consider learning Bahasa Indonesia even at a functional level — making the effort signals commitment and opens doors
→Attend Indonesian-organized networking events (Kadin, APINDO employer association events) to access local business networks

Premium Section

Jobs & Work Permits

Unlock the complete Jobs & Work Permits guide for Indonesia — including every detail, document, tip and link you need.

Become a Supporter

Support the guide on Ko-fi · Unlocks every premium section, everywhere