More red tape ensnares expats<\/p>\n
Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Lengthy and unclear bureaucratic procedures for foreigners to
\nobtain permission to work in Indonesia have attracted many to
\nwork as informal immigration agents.<\/p>\n
The agents offer services to arrange and procure the necessary
\ndocuments, as both local and foreign companies wanting to employ
\nforeigners have been frustrated by the complicated procedures.<\/p>\n
According to several such agents, following procedures to the
\nletter was not enough to ensure the timely processing of required
\ndocuments.<\/p>\n
They told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday \"extra money\" was also
\nneeded to bribe relevant officials. The agents' fees include
\nthese \"honorariums\", and are thus far above the official
\nprocessing fees set in existing regulations.<\/p>\n
The agents' fees for arranging complete documents for a single
\nforeign employee range from Rp 2.5 million (US$271) to Rp 3.6
\nmillion, whereas official fees are under Rp 1 million.<\/p>\n
\"Don't hope they (the officials) will issue documents on time
\nif you don't give them 'tips', even though you have met all
\nrequirements,\" Agus (not his real name), an agent who works out
\nof an East Jakarta office, told the Post.<\/p>\n
Of course, he said, the \"tips\" of about Rp 300,000 per
\nofficial were illegal, as several notices at the Ministry of
\nManpower and Transmigration read \"free processing\".<\/p>\n
He said similar \"tips\" should also be prepared for other
\nrelevant institutions like the immigration, the police, the
\npopulation and civil registration, and subdistrict offices.<\/p>\n
The \"tips\" are part and parcel of the bureaucratic procedures,
\nas David (an alias), an expatriate seeking to extend his son's
\ntemporary stay permit (KITAS), acknowledged.<\/p>\n
\"I was told that Rp 200,000 is the normal 'tip' to speed
\nthings up. We didn't pay and, as a consequence, were treated very
\nrudely,\" he said, speaking of an official who works in Cawang,
\nEast Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Many expatriates share their frustrating experiences at
\nwww.expat.or.id, a website for foreigners living and working in
\nthe country.<\/p>\n
According to the City Population and Civil Registration
\nAgency, about 32,000 of 36,000 foreigners in Jakarta hold a
\nKITAS, while only about 4,000 hold permanent stay permits
\n(KITAP).<\/p>\n
Agus said no data existed on the number of agents offering
\ntheir services, but he thought it might reach hundreds -- some
\nworked for companies, while the others were freelancers.<\/p>\n
Another agent, who asked that her identity be withheld, said
\nher Central Jakarta-based company served at least 20 clients a
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
\"Our clients can be new people who want to work here, or those
\nwho want to extend their permits,\" she said. Her company charged
\nthe same for first-time processes and extensions.<\/p>\n
Manpower and immigration procedures for foreigners applying to
\nwork in Indonesia weave through much red-tape and require
\ndocumentation from a variety of institutes. First, the applicant
\nmust have proof of corporate sponsorship in order to initiate the
\nlengthy process, but sponsorship can only be provided by
\ncompanies with an Expatriate Placement Plan (RPTKA), which are
\napproved by the manpower ministry.<\/p>\n
The proof of corporate sponsorship is needed to obtain other
\ndocuments, including a KITAS from the immigration office and a
\nrecommendation to grant the TA01 work visa -- from the manpower
\nministry for local companies or the Investment Coordinating Board
\n(BKPM) for foreign companies.<\/p>\n
Other necessary documents are work permits (IKTA) issued by
\nthe manpower ministry, police registration certificate (SKLD),
\nforeign identity card (KIP) and family members certificate
\n(SKSKP) issued by the population and civil registration agency,
\nand residential registration certificate (SKTT) issued by a
\nsubdistrict office.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/more-red-tape-ensnares-expats-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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