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Top hiring sectors in Jakarta

Last activity 07 May 2014 by happyhour

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Julien

Hi,

let’s talk about job opportunities in Jakarta.

What are the top hiring sectors?

And according to you, what are the most promising job sectors, which will keep creating jobs in Jakarta?

Thanks in advance for sharing your experience,

Julien

Samhand

Do we have to? I'd rather have a conversation with Giorgio about italian courting habits.

Julien

I don't get this one, sorry ?

Fred

Julien wrote:

I don't get this one, sorry ?


I suspect you didn't major in humour or silly comments.

Sam was suggesting it may be really boring to discuss this subject and would be happier discussing Italian chat up lines (Subtle version).

I, myself, dislike any talk regarding sexual relationships so I'll have a go, at least in a small way.

One of the most common places for a foreigner to get work is in schools.
Apart from from the idiotic new national curriculum here (that excludes all the most useful subjects in favour of civil and religious topics).
Most private schools realise the total stupidity of dropping English and still push it so need native speakers.
That means potential, very well paid work for white people from Australia, England, America and a couple of other places.
I deliberately mention white skin as that's what a native speaker is expected to have.
Racist, it may well be but it's also a fact as far as Indonesia is concerned.

As a note, Malaysia dropped English upon independence but quickly realised they'd messed up.
Hong Kong did the same and they're having serious problems at the moment with lack of English speakers.
Luckily for that Chinese city, Hailey is around to assist them.

However, Indonesian education ministers don't seem to be able to google so they're trying their best to naff up Indonesia with a mix of religious messing around and general stupidity.

Julien

Employment is a serious topic for people who are willing to move to Jakarta and insights from expats would probably be more appreciated by / helpful for job seekers than "humour or silly comments" ?

Fred

Indonesia ONLY allows job seekers that possess special skills in one form or another.
That excludes hairdressers, surfing instructors, working in bars and so on.

Specialists in a wide variety of fields are welcome but all have to get a work permit (US$1,200 per year) and a KITAS (Visa) at a further cost of less than Rp1 million per year.

KITAP holders, commonly people married to Indonesians for a period of greater than two years, are allowed to work freely but, according to the work department, still have to pay the US$1,200.
I'm aware there is dispute regarding this but I don't know if it's been tested in court.

Julien

Thanks Fred for your posts

Ubudian

“Do we have to? I'd rather have a conversation with Giorgio about italian courting habits.”

HAH!  I just about fell off my chair Sam…but PLEASE don’t give him any ideas!  :o

Julien, Fred is absolutely correct about the difficulties involved for foreigners looking for work in Indonesia, and this is especially so here in Bali where it seems half the world would like to move, live and work. 

While I won’t speak for Fred, I suspect he is as reluctant to write about “job opportunities” in Indonesia as I am, as Indonesia is simply not a viable job market for foreign employees.

Moreover, the situation or opportunities for jobs for foreigners in Indonesia will soon become much worse when the 2015 ASEAN agreement comes into effect.  What that will mean is that only foreigners of ASEAN member nations will be able to move, live and work within ASEAN member nations with relative ease.  When the 2015 agreement becomes effective, what is now Mission Most Difficult will almost surely become Mission Impossible for other than ASEAN countries.

Fred

That's probably true as there'll likely be a movement from the poorer countries to the richer ones.
That'll make an already difficult situation even worse for many but the English teachers will probably notice little effect on their world.

I understand from Roy's previous posts; there is quite a clampdown on illegal workers in Bali so take care out there.
The fines and prison sentences, I'm assured, can be quite harsh.

Ubudian

"The fines and prison sentences, I'm assured, can be quite harsh."

Up to five years in "Hotel Kerobokan" and fines up to US $50,000.00...that surely meets my definition of "quite harsh!"

mummynista

Julien wrote:

Hi,

let’s talk about job opportunities in Jakarta.

What are the top hiring sectors?

And according to you, what are the most promising job sectors, which will keep creating jobs in Jakarta?

Thanks in advance for sharing your experience,

Julien


Hi Julien,

I just moved to Jakarta as my husband got offered a role here. Both Fred and Ubud are right about teaching industry is probably the easiest for a 'white' person to get a job here, however there's couple other industries that are employing quite prominently.

Based on my circle of friends who are also expats here; oil and gas, consulting, hospitality  and insurance companies are growing rapidly and hiring extensively in Indonesia.

Kitas(working visa) is hard to get it yourself so the better strategy is to interview with the company who is looking for someone to fill the role and have them to move you over or apply kitas on your behalf. Do also note that you need to be in quite a senior position already for companies to want to bring you in.

Hope this helps!

-Cass

Ubudian

Nice post Cass, but just one point I'd like to clear up.  A KITAS visa is not a working visa, rather it is a residency visa. It is a required visa for any foreigner who is going to legally work in Indonesia, but the legality of the work status comes from the work permit which is issued by the various manpower offices.

steveoy

So what's the difference between KITAS and KTP?

Fred

steveoy wrote:

So what's the difference between KITAS and KTP?


The first is a one year immigration permit; the latter, a local ID card that should be carried by Indonesians.

steveoy

So KTP is only for Indonesians? Not expats with either KITAS or KITAP?

Ubudian

A KTP is an Indonesian identity card, and unless you change citizenship to become Indonesian, you will never have one. 

A KITAP trumps a KITAS and it's most often the last step to full citizenship...and a KTP (and passport as well). 

A KITAS is temporary residency...a KITAP is permanent residency.

happyhour

Dear Ubudian, I am new in here and aware that your post is from November 2013 but I like to correct you a little because you do not have to change your citizenship to become Indonesian to get a KTP.

As a KITAP holder married to Indonesian you will get your KTP....

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