Working in Indonesia

Seasonal jobs, wages, working hours and annual leave

Working in Indonesia

Any western expats moving to Indonesia for professional reasons can expect many changes. Seasonal employment will be particularly difficult to find for foreigners and the business working environment is different to that in the west.

Seasonal employment

Official government policy is to hire Indo­nesians wherever possible. Due to this, the process of obtaining a work visa is very difficult and expatriates seeking seasonal employment should have an employer ready before moving so that the employer can aid in facilitate the visa. Even with the aid of a prospective employer, the process of obtaining a work visa may not be worth the hassle if you are only looking to work in Indonesia for a few months. However, if seeking seasonal employment, teaching languages may be the easiest option as there are plenty of schools that require help, with both volunteer and paid positions available. English is the most sought after language although one could probably find teaching positions in other languages. However, with any job, knowledge of some Bahasa Indonesia (the official Indonesian language) would help greatly.

Wages and working hours

One could find work as an English teacher, for example, getting paid between 50,000Rp - 60,000Rp (US $5.25 - US $6.30) per hour which may have been worth it in the past. However, with the long-drawn visa process, this amount does not justify itself as it perhaps could have done ten years ago. Consequently with the exception of expatriates employed by foreign companies, the majority of foreigners in Indonesia work in the export sector. The minimum wage depends on the province and can vary from 675,000Rp - 1,410,000Rp (US $70 - US $148). Click here  for a more in depth look at minimum wages.

Business hours are clearly variable, but it is normal to start early and to consequently finish early also. The usual hours are from 08:00 - 16:00 with Monday to Friday with an hour for lunch. There is also a break on Friday’s from 11:30 - 13:30 for prayer and it is not uncommon to work on Saturday’s from 08:00 - 12:00. Shops usually open at 09:00 or 10:00 and smaller shops will close at 17:00 however in the larger cities and malls, shops can stay open late, usually until 21:00.

Concerning holidays, annual leave varies, however Indonesia has thirteen public holidays per year plus ‘cuti bersama’ (or 'joint days’) which follow public holidays, however these days are usually factored into ones holiday entitlements. All Indonesian residents, including foreign nationals, must register with the Tax Service Office in their city of residence and obtain a personal tax number. Income tax is progressive and ranges from 5% to 30%. Whereas western business is formed on the principle of working towards strict deadlines, Indonesian business is more about forming business relationships and Indonesians have a high regard for status, whether it be age or position. Therefore, you must pay respect to any elder or superior person within the working environment. You should always dress smartly in any business situation.

Further reading

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