Getting employed in Indonesia –  Working in Bali

Employment KITAS E23 – Temporary Stay Permit

Working in Bali as an employee  what you need to know

If you wish to work in Bali and receive a salary you need a work permit & temporary residency. A Business Visa is not enough! The gateway for getting a work permit in Indonesia is to find the company that will employ you and has all the legal documents and company structure to do so. The company that wants to hire a foreigner will have to “prove”, that they need a foreigner to do this particular job.

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Work Permits are only issued for jobs with higher qualifications

You can’t get a work permit for being a waiter or barman or even department head for a small hotel for example. The idea behind is, to protect the local work force and encourage that there is some transfer of knowledge from a foreigner to the local work force.

Do foreigners need a Work Visa to be employed in Bali, Indonesia?

YES. In order to be legally employed in Bali (Indonesia) and to therefore receive a salary in Indonesia, a foreigner needs to have a valid work permit AND temporary (or limited) stay permit. People often refer to the work permit simply as the KITAS, while this is not technically correct. 

There are foreigners in Bali, who are working as tourist guides, yoga teachers, dive teachers, English teachers, real estate agents, even cooks etc without having a work permit. It is an illegal practice.  There is a special task force in Bali with the sole purpose of finding illegal foreign workers. If one gets caught working illegally, they will usually get deported – and pay a fine (and the “employer”). Beside violating the visa regulations, these people also commit tax fraud in Indonesia.

What is a KITAS?

Common Confusion between Limited Stay Permit and the Work permit.

  • The KITAS is the temporary stay permit
  • the actual work permit is called IMTA (previously IKTA).

They are both connected and issued at the same time.

When somebody asks you about KITAS, they will most likely refer to the work permit. The KITAS can be valid for either six months or 12 months and needs to be renewed. Previously a KITAS was valid for 12 months, but this has changed for a specific type of jobs.

How do I get a E23 Employment KITAS and IMTA for Bali / Indonesia?

To get the KITAS & IMTA you have to be sponsored by the company you are going to work for. This company will have to APPLY for a KITAS (Kartu Izin Tinggal Sementara) = Temporary Stay Permit Card and get the permit to hire you for a SPECIFIC job, for which you need to be qualified for. Your certificates and CV must reflect, that you are suitable for this position. More details about the requirements and process can be found below in this article.

Can I work with the KITAS anywhere in Bali or change employers?

No, you cannot work for anybody else, or do anything else for that matter. Your work permit is linked to the employer and to a specific job description. You are not allowed to work for anybody else or even in a position that is different from the one you are hired for. If you change an employer, the entire process would have to be done again.

Is there a difference between KITAS and ITAS?

ITAS is the abbreviation of Limited Stay Permit, and KITAS is Limited Stay Permit CARD. Both are actually therefore the same, namely a temporary or limited stay visa in Indonesia. The only difference is that KITAS is a physical card, and ITAS is the permit itself. The “K” in KITAS stands for “Kartu” (which can nowadays be a simple printout on paper).

Can I get a KITAS as a shareholder of a local company?

Yes, you can get a KITAS as a shareholder of a local company as a foreigner. The KITAS is therefore then the limited stay permit which would NOT allow you to actively work in your company but it would allow you to stay in Indonesia. It’s not a work permit (IMTA).

More info on the Investor / Shareholder KITAS

Retirement KITAS E33F

Must-Know Information About Getting a KITAS / Work Permit for Bali, Indonesia

  • During the KITAS processing period, applicants are not allowed to work.
  • The KITAS is typically applied for while the foreigner is outside Indonesia (offshore).
  • Processing can only begin once all required documents are complete.
  • The sponsoring company must have a minimum capital of IDR 1 billion per person. Family members of the worker will also need a KITAS (see below).
  • The process takes approximately 2–3 months and costs between $1,000 and $1,500, depending on whether the company handles the application itself or uses an accredited visa agent (as most do).

The law requires that the KITAS application be submitted from outside Indonesia. If you are already in Indonesia on a tourist visa while your company applies for a KITAS, you will need to leave and re-enter the country at least once.

The process starts with a temporary single-entry visa, allowing you to enter Indonesia from abroad. Once you arrive, your passport will be submitted to immigration, and you will receive an appointment for fingerprinting and a photo within 30 days. After this appointment, you will receive your passport back, and the actual KITAS will be issued within 4 to 6 weeks.

  • It is common for the employer to cover KITAS-related fees.
  • The KITAS grants a work permit and limited stay residency for either 6 or 12 months, depending on the job type.
  • Foreign workers must pay a monthly work permit tax (DPKK) of $100, which must be paid in advance.
  • The sponsoring company must be a legally registered business authorized to hire foreign workers. Not all local businesses qualify—for example, a privately owned dive shop cannot obtain a KITAS/IMTA for an employee.
  • Foreign workers receiving a salary must obtain a local tax number (NPWP) and pay income tax. The government sets a minimum acceptable salary for foreign workers and would not approve a wage as low as $200 per month for a dive master, for instance.

What documents are needed to get a KITAS / working permit for Bali, Indonesia?

To get a work permit (KITAS / IMTA) for Bali you need:

  1. Color Scan of Passport ( should include data pages & all pages with a stamp ) with validity of at least 18 months
  2. Color Scan of Curriculum Vitae stamped by the company and signed by the director on a materei stamp
  3. Color Scan of university certificate / or highest education degree in English or Bahasa Indonesia, stamped by the company and signed by the director on a materei stamp
  4. Work Certificates of minimal last 5 years
  5. CV
  6. Health insurance
  7. Photo size 3x4cm, 4x6cm each size 4pcs with a red background

What are the documents required from the sponsor company – employer to apply for a KITAS

In addition to the above documents, your sponsor company will need to provide a lot of documents. Once the documents are complete, the company’s HR department or an agent will start the application process. The company will have to pay between 1000 and 1500US$ to get a KITAS

  1. KTP (Indonesian ID Card) of the director who is responsible for processing the KITAS (domicile in Bali)
  2. KTP of a local employee working for the same company
  3. NPWP (Company Tax Registration Number)
  4. SIUP (Trade license /Business License),⇒ for local PT
  5. IUT (SPPMA from BKPM )⇒ for PT.PMA
  6. TDP (Company’s Registration Letter
  7. Wajib Lapor (Copy of the report to the department of labour)
  8. SKTU ( Company’s Letter of Domicile )
  9. SITU & HO (letter of approval for place of business & permits)
  10. Akta Notaris ( Deed of Establishment )
  11. Legalization of Deed Establishment ( Akta Notaris ) by the Department of Justice
  12. Blank Letterhead of the company ( 5 pcs )
  13. Company Stamp

 

Family visa KITAS – Dependency KITAS

Accompanying family members will also need a visa. It means that if for example your wife and two children join you, the company will have to apply for 4 KITAS

Documents required for Family KITAS ( spouse & children)

a. Colour Scan of Passport ( should include data pages & all pages with a stamp )

b. Certificate of Marriage (in English or Bahasa Indonesia)

c. Certificate of Birth (in English or Bahasa Indonesia)

d. Photo size 3x4cm, 4x6cm each size 4pcs with red background

3. KITAS for students

4. Retirement Visa KITAS

* The above information is deemed accurate at the time of publication but can change without notice. Please check with your embassy or visa agent.