The Indonesian government plans to simplify bureaucratic procedures in the documentation of foreign workers and end overlapping among state institutions through an online licensing system. This is expected to ease the recruitment of foreign workers in the country.
During a Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday March 6th, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said that qualified foreign workers are needed to support foreign investment, however, procedures for recruitment are too complicated.
Under current regulations, a company needs to produce at least 10 documents to employ a foreign worker. These are the foreign manpower employment plan (RPTKA), recommendation of foreign manpower employment (IMTA), temporary stay permit visa (VITAS), temporary stay permit (KITAS), police report certificate (STM), residency certificate (SKTT), temporary alien resident information letter (SKKPS), report of presence (Lakeb) and a multiple exit re-entry permit.
Jokowi has ordered his ministers to make this process simpler by adopting an online system.
“I want it simpler […] I want it to run on an online basis and see integrated procedures between the Manpower Ministry and the Directorate General of Immigration,” he said.
Jokowi has also criticised the supervision work of both the Manpower Ministry and the Immigration Office. He said that such monitoring, which occasionally involves raids, could alienate businesses.
“I get reports that employers are disturbed and troubled because of the sweeps. The Manpower Ministry operates on its own while the immigration office also works on its own. The control and supervision must be consolidated,” he said.
Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution said several licenses, such as the RPTKA and IMTA, would be dropped. He also said that licensing procedures for foreign workers would be handled only by the Manpower Ministry.
Manpower Minister Hanif Dhakiri said other relevant ministries would also loosen the requirements for foreigners to work in Indonesia.
“Some requirements will be eased, for example in the oil and gas industry, a company can only employ foreign workers between 35 and 55 years old. It is irrelevant right now because there are a lot of skilled workers below 35 years old,” he said.
Hanif added that currently there are 126,000 foreign workers in Indonesia. China is the biggest supplier, followed by Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and the United States.
Source: The Jakarta Post
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