To work legally in Indonesia, the country offers several types of visas of which the most frequently used ones are a temporary stay permit called KITAS (ITAS) and a work permit known as IMTA.
IMTA:
Effective from November 2018 (Presidential Regulation (No. 20/2018)), IMTA is now replaced with a “Notification” from the Ministry of Manpower with validity same as the employment agreement. Based on this, the Indonesian Immigration will now issue limited stay permit (VITAS) and the Electronic limited stay permit (ITAS). This change is to simplify the process of securing a work permit in Indonesia. The implementation is, however, expected to happen continuously and be finalised in the next two years.
KITAS:
Meanwhile, having a temporary stay permit (KITAS), also known as a working visa or working KITAS, is one of the necessities when working in Indonesia. On the contrary to a spouse-sponsored KITAS or a retirement KITAS, a work KITAS must be sponsored by an Indonesian legal entity as individual sponsorship is not allowed. Also, the eligibility requirements for this are quite strict and many job positions, as well as some sectors of the economy, are not open to foreigners. These include supply chain management, human resources, quality control, and inspection, health, safety, and environmental affairs, among others. Notably, the Indonesian Law, without mentioning any specific ratio, requires companies to hire some (usually five) Indonesians before applying for a work permit for a foreign employee. For foreign citizens married to an Indonesian citizen, the option is to get a KITAS valid for one year. After one extension, this temporary permit can be converted into a permanent one called KITAP.
Business Visa for Indonesia:
Foreign entrepreneurs who are frequent visitors to Indonesia can apply for a business visa, which is valid for one year and allows a foreigner to stay in the country for up to 60 days per visit. All business visas must be sponsored by a legal entity registered in Indonesia. And holders can participate at conferences, training, or workshops to broaden one’s knowledge as well as business meetings to negotiate conditions of the potential business deals; but cannot indulge in paid employment of any kind. Requirements and conditions for a business visa in Indonesia are quite flexible, and most of the applicants meet the criteria, aside from those citizens of countries listed as restricted.
