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Guest5762

Hi there, I would like to know from your experience how hard it was to find a job as a foreigner in Indonesia?was it quite challenging or not?!am in love with this beautiful country but my main concern is how hard is it to find a job !thanks in advance

Fred

Not too difficult if you're degree educated and have skills unavailable from within the Indonesian workforce.

If the above doesn't apply, it's going to be between hard and impossible to find legal work.

Ubudian

Hi Narrii,


Indonesia’s labor laws as they pertain to foreign workers are designed to protect employment opportunities for its citizens, thus the laws are somewhat difficult to manage.  A work permit is required for a foreigner to legally work here, and penalties for non compliance or failure to obtain such a permit are levied against the individual person in violation and not the company they are working for.  This is important to keep in mind as some employers here have abused this law by offering positions to foreign workers promising that they will handle getting the work permit completed, but when they don’t, it’s the “illegal worker” and not the company who employs them who ends up paying the price. 


As Fred touched on in his reply, the jobs most available to foreigners are those where there are few, if any, qualified candidates who are Indonesian citizens.  The most common employment among expats here are English teaching jobs in one of the many private schools where in addition to their academic requirements, also require their English teachers to be native English speakers such as from the UK, Australia, Canada and the US.  The other most common employment for foreigners is within their own companies or the business of their Indonesian spouse. 


The so called digital nomads are also increasingly popular but a special visa (and work permit) for them has yet to be worked out…but is promised for the near future. 


Surely others will have more to offer you.  I merely wanted to explain why it’s not so easy for foreigners to find legal employment here.  Cheers and good luck.     


Guest5762

Thank you guys for your help,i really appreciate it,your advices were really helpful thanks a lot

DrDavid

@Narii

Hi, it is not easy to get employment as an ex-pat. I was fortunate, in that I held advanced degrees and experience not commonly available in Indonesia.

Suggest you use the internet to locate headhunters, submit your resume/references and explain you would like to relocate. Multinational corps are more likely to sponsor you, but you need to have something to offer them.

Best of luck!

PS: I don't recommend coming to Indonesia without a plan, unless you have unlimited resources.

Fred

PS: I don't recommend coming to Indonesia without a plan, unless you have unlimited resources.
-@DrDavid


Whilst you are clearly right and that's the sensible way to do things, I came without a plan of any sort and it worked out just fine.

However, I'm as mad as a spoon so stick to Dr. David's advice unless you're as crazy as me.

DrDavid

@Fred Agree with Pak Fred, my situation developed resulting from friendships, introductions and having a place to stay long term.


I suggest a more conventional approach for people who just hope to move and begin working.. it's not so easy in Indonesia.

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