The recent announcement of Indonesian Work Permit requirement gives plenty of expat a lot to look into, do, and think about. This article here dishes exactly how and when the new law takes effect.

From what we know now, starting from March 2015, applicant to new visa or visa renewals be required to comply to the new requirement and provide:

·    A copy of their university degrees (minimum: 3 years degree)
·    A competence certificate for the applied
·    Success at an Indonesian language exam, which will be based upon the TOIFL test from Universitas Indonesia

If you’re currently a work permit, you then have until march to seek the required documents and get your Bahasa Indonesia skill under your belt.

Looking at this current situation, it seems like there are many working class expat who are living in Bali under spousal visa or lack University Degree but have teaching certification or others would be taking the hit the hardest.

First of all, Indonesia already forbids KITAS by spouse holder to have a work permit. Which is an unfair practice, seeing as Indonesian marrying foreigners in western countries are immediately granted residency an work permit. The situation causes hardship for many mix marriages couple, which then led to them using loopholes to make ends meet.

An interview with Ms. Tracy Jones, an expat living in Bali for 3 years, who is fluent in both Bahasa Indonesia and Balinese language, dishes the hard knock reality of life here by many expats in her position, and how this new law affects her, and how it might affect others as well.

Stream in for exposed at 5pm tonight, Friday, January 9th 2014, with Kay Armanousa.