Indonesia announces a 5-year work visa for digital nomads

Highlights

• Indonesia aims to attract digital nomads with a new work visa.
• The country has removed most of its travel restrictions.
• Visa on Arrival has been implemented in Indonesia for more than seventy nations.
• It has also started a trial of quarantine free period for international travelers.

Indonesia plans to attract digital nomads who have the benefit of working from the location of their choice. It has launched a work visa valid for five years to facilitate this measure.

Bali has been cautiously reopening its borders for international travelers since October 14, 2021. The government of Indonesia is looking to boost the local economy by doing away with the restrictions and giving more benefits to travellers who wish to visit Indonesia.

What is the Digital Nomad visa?

The Digital Nomad visa will permit professionals to stay and work in Indonesia for a maximum of five years with no tax on the income they get from the country they work for. This innovative idea of a five-year visa for professionals who want to remotely work in Indonesia has been conceptualized since 2021.

New rules for Digital Nomads

The Indonesian government has abolished most of its travel restrictions. It tests a quarantine-free period and a VOA or Visa on Arrival scheme for seventy-two nations from March 7, 2022.

International travelers coming to Australia are not required to submit a negative RT-PCR test report either. This rule has been effective since May 18 of the current year.

With more and more companies offering flexible work locations by providing 'work from home opportunities', new-age professionals can opt to work in the scenic locales of Indonesia.

People thronged Indonesia even more than before the pandemic.

The global crisis of pandemic affected the tourism sector of the country, and with the new visa rules, it is planning to welcome professionals with new-age technology and flexible work location to work from the country.

The Minister of Tourism of Indonesia stated that approximately 95 percent of the digital nomads who participated in the survey chose Indonesia, and explicitly Bali as their top pick of remote work location.

Work as Digital Nomad in Indonesia

Here's how you can work remotely in Indonesia:

·         Apply for a work permit

For working in Indonesia, you are required to have an IMTA or Ijin Mempekerjakan Tenaga Kerja Asing. The company you are employed in needs to sponsor your trip. It is also known as an IKTA, which is an Expatriate Work Permit. If you switch jobs while living in the country, you must apply for a new IMTA.

·         Apply for a residence permit

It would be best if you had a residence permit and a work permit, as well. The KITAS or Kartu Izin Tinggal Terbatas or Temporary Stay Permit Card needs to be sponsored by the employer.

Who is a Digital Nomad?

A digital nomad is an individual who works in a remote location. They can be either full-time or part-time employed, while having the flexible facility to work in different places. The new-age nomads usually work in co-working spaces, public libraries, and cafes. They connect their laptops, tablets, or smartphones to the Wi-Fi network of these places or use their own hotspots.

Digital nomads have the ease to create their own schedule for work, devoid of the routine nine-to-five plan. This schedule allows people to explore the world. They could be living in New York City, Lisbon, Medellín, and Playa del Carmen are desirable destinations for digital nomads.

The number of tourists who came to Indonesia was approximately 111,000 in the first quarter of 2022. It has been the highest figure since the COVID pandemic.

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