The process to get a work permit in Indonesia

Found a job in Indonesia (part 1)

“My friend and me are foreigners and we both just signed an employment agreement with a different Indonesian company. We are not working for an oil, mining or other special company, just an ordinary job as a research and development manager for myself and my friend signed for a job as marketing advisor.”

Question: As new expat worker what do we do to get to Indonesia? We really want to understand what, when where and how it all works.

Answer: Get used to abbreviations to know about the documents needed and the government departments where the expat or his sponsor company needs to go to, before they can stay, live and work legally safe and sound in Wonderful Indonesia.

No more than 9(!) different government departments are involved and a number of documents, known by their abbreviations, are needed before you are fully compliant. We take you on a formalities journey that is quite unique. But one that gives a better insight on what your company (or agent) is arranging for you.

  1. The BKPM (The Indonesian Investment Board), for the supporting letter of recommendation.
    Due to the Covid-19 pandemic a (hopefully temporary!) rule was issued on 11 June 2020. A foreign worker who accepts a job in Indonesia needs to get a letter of recommendation. Application and pick up (manual) must be arranged by the sponsoring company at BKPM. Starting June 10, 2020, the first WLK report will be issued by BPKM as well.
    (Opmerking: Under BKPM Reg 1/2020, of June 10, 2020 the functionality of NIB has been extended to also serve as the initial Mandatory Manpower Report/Wajib Lapor Ketenagakerjaan).

  2. The Manpower Department for the WLK, RPTKA, Notification and DPPK.
    The main step and an inevitable stop on the path to become a law-abiding expat worker in Indonesia.
    Most administrative paperwork will be done online with this institute.

    a)If the company decides to hire foreign workers, they need to be sure they have a recent employment manpower report (WLK) that states how many staff (foreigners and Indonesian) the have planned to employ. This process can be done online (for existing companies)via the website https://wajiblapor.kemnaker.go.id/. The report will be issued online as well and is only one of the common documents needed to get the work permit.

    b)    to apply for the Companies Foreign Workers Plan (RPTKA). It is a plan stating what job position needs to be filled out and checks if it is a position that can be done by foreigners. This process can be done online via https://tka-online.kemnaker.go.id/default.asp The approved RPTKA will be issued online and has the following step:

    i)    .It is here where the documents need to be uploaded carefully and meticulously as they will be used by the Departments of Manpower and Immigration (Both the Director General of Immigration as the local Immigration offices). To avoid delays the company, the agent or the DOY must make sure to login to the companies TKA online account but prepare before going online:

    1. BKPM letter of recommendation (see above)

    2. The mandatory Manpower report (WLK, see above

    3. POA

    4. Counterpart letter (of Indonesian employee)

    5. Statement letter from expat regarding compliance to Indonesian law

    6.Work agreement

    ii)    .Then apply by going online RPTKA, submit information about job position, work location, citizenship and upload the documents above under 1 till 6.


    c)Arrange online a schedule for TKA online interview Skype session or discuss with your agent an alternative.
    d)If the assessment of the application by Manpower is positive the RPTKA will be issued (internal updates of Manpower can be followed online)
    e)If the RPTKA is received apply (still online) for the Notification and fill out:
    i. Data of expat (name, passport, etc)
    ii. Chosen Indonesian Embassy for the issuance of the visa
    iii. temporary address arranged by company
    iv. Local Immigration
    v. which airport the expat will arrive when entering Indonesia address

    f) What follows next is to upload more documents for the Manpower and Director General of Immigration (have them prepared upfront, so you can upload in one go):
    1. copy passport,
    2. pass photo,
    3. request letter to Manpower for Notification (work permit)
    4. request letter to Director General of Immigration for the telex
    5. statement letter of guarantor
    6. diplomas,
    7. reference letter
    8. health insurance,

    9. work agreement, (or deed for BOD/BOC)
    10. recent bank statement with min USD 1500 of equivalent

    g) Manpower will verified data and documents and inform online if they are accepted or not. If not accepted, major delays will follow to correct the shortcomings so be accurate and complete.

    h) Once accepted Manpower will issue the Notification including the billing code for the DPKK. All send online by email.

    i) Now the DPKK (USD 1.200) needs to be paid at an Indonesian bank within 3 days, which payment will be validated via the bank to the system of Manpower.

    j) If Manpower has finished the internal checking and received confirmation of the DPKK payment, thus the application has succeeded, it will be shown on the Manpower online system. It will be automatically sent to the Director General of Immigration (Dirjen).

    k) Dirjen who will receive all information uploaded on the Manpower system (as their systems are connected!) will send an email to sponsor company that they received an application for an ITAS (in fact the application for the telex approval for the working visa).
    After 3-4 days Dirjen will send the Immigration billing code for the dues of the:
    i.     TELEX
    ii. VISA
    iii. ITAS
    iv. MERP
    The dues (totaling IDR.4.250.000 and USD 150 for the visa) must be paid within 30 days.

    After Immigration has checked the documents and the dues payment is received the telex will be sent all automatically by email.

  3. The Director General of Immigration (Dirjen)

    a) Dirjen who will receive all information uploaded on the Manpower system (as their systems are connected!) will send an email to sponsor company that they received an application for an ITAS (in fact the application for the telex approval for the working visa).

    After 3-4 days Dirjen will send the Immigration billing code for the dues of the:
    i. TELEX
     ii. VISA

    iii. ITAS
     iv. MERP.

    The dues (totaling IDR.2.700.000 and USD 150 for the visa) must be paid within 30 days.

    b) After Immigration has checked the documents and the dues payment is received the telex will be sent all automatically by email.

    c) After the amounts mentioned on the billing code (telex, ITAS and MERP totaling IDR 2,700,000 and for the Visa at Embassy USD 150 )have been paid, the Dirjen will send a telex to the email address mentioned when uploading all data to the Manpower system.

    (Note: If refused the expat / agent goes to Dirjen (or the local Immigration office) to find out the reason and resolve the issue

  4. The Indonesian Embassy in country of Expat / Foreign worker (Working visa C-312)

    a) Once the email with the copy of the telex approval for the visa C-312 has been received, the expat can make an appointment with the Indonesian Embassy in his country. Usually the email is sent to the HR of the company or the agent, as they will have filled out the data during the application for the work permit with Manpower. The telex is valid for 60 days, within the visa application must have been submitted with at the Embassy.

    b)The expat goes to the Embassy and submits the application for the visa C312 with attachments first, and come back 2-5 days later to pick up passport and visa sticker in the passport. Many Embassies have arranged you can send by post, while the application can be done online.

    (Note: In Singapore and Kuala Lumpur there are several visa agents available who can take care of a one-day-service. The extra costs are about USD 100)

    Documents needed:
    a) Application form
     b) Passport
     c) Telex
     d) Request letter

    c)     Once the visa has been received the expat has 90 days to arrange his trip to Indonesia.

  5. The Immigration Office at airport of arrival

    a) Once the visa is collected the expat can prepare his journey. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic no doubts extra rules for traveling will be applicable. We advise the expat / foreign worker to always check with these two webpages of IATA:

    i. https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/international-travel-document-news/1580226297.htm

    ii. https://www.iatatravelcentre.com/passport-visa-health-travel-document-requirements.htm

    where the interactive response leads to a complete and clear overview of documents needed and if you are fit to fly and able to fly to Indonesia from your own the own country

    b) When arriving in Indonesia the expat / foreign worker goes to the special desk for New ITAS, where he can convert the working visa to ITAS conversion at the airport immediately. He will do a bio data at the airport and he receives the ITAS and MERP sticker in his passport. Within a few days a passport sized print of the E-ITAS and the original actual E-ITAS (a-4 size) will be send to the email address mentioned earlier when the data for the Manpower department were uploaded.

    Documents needed for the conversion:
    i. Passport
    ii. VITAS Sticker

  6. The local Immigration Office (Kanim)

    There is no need to go the local Immigration office if everything goes smooth and well. However, in some cases the E-ITAS isn’t issued automatically. If after two weeks the email hasn’t arrived than the expat / agent must go to the local Immigration office and find out the reason and resolve.

    Documents needed:
    a) Passport
     b) Sponsor Letter
     c) Guarantee Letter
     d) Power of Attorney
     e) Payment Proof of the Billing Code
     f)Copy KTP and ID Card of the signatory
     g)Copy RPTKA
     h)Copy Notification

    i)Copy DPKK
     j)Copy Telex Approval

  7. The Local Police department (STM)

    As the local Police needs (likes) to know about the foreigners who are coming to live in their neighborhood a visit to a local police station in the area where the expat is going to live is advised. (Not mandatory anymore, but if you want to open a bank account the bank may ask for one)

    Documents needed:
    a) Passport
    b) E-Itas

    c) KTP sponsor

    d) Sponsor Letter
    e) Copy Notification
    f) Copy RPTKA
    g) Copy DPKK

  8. PTSP of Suku Dinas Catatan Sipil (SKTT)

    Every foreigner residing in Indonesia must get a temporary Identity card, to be applied for at the local city hall. The company signs request / sponsor letter and within 3- 10 working days the card can be picked up.

    Documents needed as attachments:
    a) Passport
    b) E-ITAS
    c) KTP sponsor
    d) Sponsor Letter
    e) Copy Notification

    f) Copy RPTKA
    g) Copy DPKK

  9. City Hall or Sub-district (PTSP-Kelurahan)

    To register the numbers of foreigners in Indonesia the status of the expat needs to be registered for at the City Hall at the PTSP or One Stop Integrated Service desk. Indonesia wants to know which expats have been compliant and what documents they applied for and received.

    Documents needed:
    a) Passport

    b) E-ITAS
    c)     KTP sponsor
    d) Sponsor Letter
    e) Copy Notification

    f) Copy RPTKA
    g) Copy DPKK

This is a full step-by-step guide for new foreign workers/expats to obtain a work permit and E-ITAS.

If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact us!


(Disclaimer: This completes the general information, based on today’s knowledge and always subject to sudden changes implemented by the respective government agencies.
This is only an overview aiming to give a better understanding. It is not meant to be complete and a guaranteed description of the whole process. Every company has its own characteristics, which are only fully known and can be dealt with, once the (preparation of the) application has started)