Site Search:
 
Get TEFL Certified & Start Your Adventure Today!
Teach English Abroad and Get Paid to see the World!
Job Discussion Forums Forum Index Job Discussion Forums
"The Internet's Meeting Place for ESL/EFL Students and Teachers from Around the World!"
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

I think these are new questions...

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Indonesia
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Gurusome



Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 58

PostPosted: Sun Jul 03, 2005 9:24 pm    Post subject: I think these are new questions... Reply with quote

Hi everyone.

I've been reading the forum for a while and this is my first post.

In November I am travelling to Indonesia on a one-way Frequent-Flier ticket. The plan is to get a job that starts just after Idul Fitri, so that at the end of the contract I'll get all my bonuses and holidays at once, and can shoot off for a bit of looky-look around some other countries.

My first question is about how schools typically reimburse air fares. Do they just pay the amount that's printed on your ticket, or is there a standard allowance for travelling? It's not a big issue, but it would be handy to get the equivalent cash value of the ticket, rather than the actual dollar amount paid, which was just the taxes. Has anyone used FF points before and been reimbursed?

This will be my first job teaching English and I'll probably wind up at an EF in Jakarta, since that seems to be where the bulk of advertised jobs are. I have experience teaching fiction to prospective novelists and short-story writers and would be interested in continuing this in Jakarta. I haven't been able to find any information on schools/courses for Indonesians with advanced English skills who wish to write fiction in English. Do such courses exist? Would there be sufficient demand to run such a course? Are established English language schools (particularly EF) likely to be open to adding a course like that to their current curriculum? Or would it be best to run the course myself outside the school? (And is that likely to be allowed in the contract, as well as within the working visa laws?) Should I even mention it at all when applying for the job? (One post I read here was from a DoS who mentioned that you should never hire someone who "wanted to finish a novel" -- but gave no reason for that judgement, and gave no indication if that included people who have already finished a few and would inevitably start and ultimately finish a new one.)

Obviously, some of these questions could be answered better and more specifically by my employers, but they don't exist yet, so I'm just after general information and opinions.

This next question is going to be a bit general as well. How flexible are the rosters? Is it possible to wangle the contact hours to have entire days off? Or at least a whole afternoon or morning? Can you do deals with other teachers to swap classes?

I'm asking about that because I'm hoping to get in a few rounds of golf while I'm there, and the green fees are much cheaper on week days. So far I've only played Cenkareng in Jakarta. Any other recommendations for courses?

I think I have other questions, but it's late so that will have to do for now.

Cheers. Thanks for all the archived info.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
gugelhupf



Joined: 24 Jan 2004
Posts: 575
Location: Jabotabek

PostPosted: Mon Jul 04, 2005 2:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

1. I have never heard of anyone running a literary fiction course here and, while it might be possible to find enough students to make it viable in a city the size of jakarta, I'm not convinced there would be much demand, but it's worth a try.

2. Many EF schools in Jakarta will hire anyone that so much as looks like a bule and can walk without assistance. You would have no problem getting such a McJob. EF are not famous for catering to the timetabling wishes of its teachers, however, so quite how much ice would be cut were you to ask for some golfing days is open to question.

3. Air tickets are refunded - usually - in two stages. You may get half the value after 3 months and the balance after a year. I wish you luck in trying to barter for the uncertain cash value of a FF ticket, however, especially in these days of fluctuating exchange rates. The (British) phrase 'Pull the other one' springs to mind.

4. Idul Fitr is a moveable feast against the western calendar so plan carefully.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
TEAM_PAPUA



Joined: 24 May 2004
Posts: 1679
Location: HOLE

PostPosted: Mon Jul 04, 2005 4:43 am    Post subject: * Reply with quote

Quote:
I have experience teaching fiction
- then you'd be perfect working in the Chinese State school system Laughing

Back on topic - My guess regarding the flight ticket is to discuss this with the school before you sign any contract, you are in a much better position before you sign. Concerning flying into Indonesia with a single ticket - unless you have secured your visa before you land (NOT tourist visa) this is a big NO-NO. You can't get into the country - period!

EF - not the most 'teacher friendly' school on the planet, but you should generally be working either mornings or evenings (rarely split shifts) so you should be able to find time to squeeze in a round or two of golf.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
rayman



Joined: 24 May 2003
Posts: 427

PostPosted: Mon Jul 04, 2005 6:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just on the one-way ticket. As mentioned above, you'll likely have the issue raised at airport immigration. At which time, offering to pay a 'fine' will surely grant you access. Just remain calm and friendly. Alternatively, you could also offer to buy a one way (fully refundable!) ticket to Singapore within the airport airline offices. My experience is they won't make a big deal if you don't.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Gurusome



Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 58

PostPosted: Mon Jul 04, 2005 1:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sorry, I should have mentioned that I'm going to buy a cheapo outbound ticket through airasia. It's about 250,000 for a jk-kl ticket. Depending on how things go, I'll either use it for a quick trip to Malaysia before organising the work visa in Singapore, or just throw it away.

It's usual to just go on a tourist visa and then do a visa run, right? EF seems to indicate that on their website. Is the one-month VOA usually long enough?

Now... if the school is paying my income tax, and the 1 million fiscal tax for popping overseas while on a work visa is a pre-payment of income tax, does that mean that if I want to pop overseas for a weekend I am supposed to hassel the school for the "refund"? Is that why no-one ever gets it back?

And thanks, gugelhupf. I completely forgot Idul Fitri will be earlier next year. So that plan's gone to hell. Que sera sera, as the Spanish-speaking French say in Germany.

Thanks guys.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
GuruStip



Joined: 24 Jun 2004
Posts: 47

PostPosted: Mon Jul 04, 2005 3:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Following on from Gurusome's suggestion of turning up with a cheapo ticket - are they happy enough to accept this as proof of leaving within a month?
I bought a 1-way ticket ages ago, and recently managed to lose my passport on the streets of sunny Belfast (which means my new passport has just arrived and I'm due to fly at the end of next week - no time to get to London now!).
Those airasia flights are pretty cheap, might be worth a weekend!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
gugelhupf



Joined: 24 Jan 2004
Posts: 575
Location: Jabotabek

PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 1:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ha ha! Nice try at including the dreaded fiskal as 'income tax'. While any reputable employer will pay your exit fiskal at the end of the contract there are precious few who will agree to pay the fiskal for any mid-term excursions - EF most certainly won't!! Remember also that to go abroad even for a weekend involves obtaining an exit permit - for which there is a small fee - and this takes a few days to arrange.

The one-way ticket thing is something of a grey area as other posters have indicated. I have heard of people having more hassle at the point of departure than on arrival in Jkt. Over zealous check-in staff can, technically, deny boarding unless your visas are in order. The Jkt-KL ticket is certainly a wise investment.

Entering on a 30 day VOA in order to start work is technically illegal but standard practice. The immigration/dept. of labour system runs like clockwork dipped in treacle so it is generally accepted that many workers will enter on a VOA then do a visa run to Singapore or KL.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Gurusome



Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 58

PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 10:08 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Gugelhupf

This info comes from the indo-expat site:

http://www.expat.or.id/info/docs.html (The full page, of which bits are quoted below. My comments start and end with ...)

Save your fiskal tax receipts and give them to your accountant when preparing your Indonesian Individual tax return. The fiskal tax is actually a 'pre-payment' of income tax due, and as such you will get credit against taxes due for any fiskal tax paid during the fiscal year.

Our expat accountant friends wrote us that "This [the information in the previous paragraph] is true, but it might be worth mentioning that claiming this fiscal tax back will automatically open you up to a tax audit by the Indonesian Tax Office, in which case you will very likely pay many times more in "administrative fees", etc, than the fiscal tax owed to you. Beware!"

...I guess that explains why no one ever claims it back.

The good news is...

The exceptions to the Rp 1 million fiskal payment are ... Medan to Penang, by sea OR air - no fiskal. Medan to Langkawi - no fiscal. Batam to Singapore - Rp 500,000 fiskal, if you leave by ferry. You can cut your fiskal costs, (plus save quite a bit on the airfare) to Singapore by flying Jakarta-Batam (flights within a country are always much cheaper than those to a different country) and take the S$30 (return) 30 minute Batam-Singapore ferry. Save on the airfare and the fiskal is only Rp 500,000.

...I'd suggest a better way than that suggested above is to simply fly Jk-Medan (210,000rp through awair), then zap over to penang by airasia (cheap), dash off to kl through airasia again (even cheaper), and then you have a huge choice of destinations. But by then it'll probably be time to go home. Still, it'll save a few bucks...

...bad (for now) news is...

Despite much discussion and news reports regarding the upcoming abolishment of fiscal taxes, the Indonesian government announced in February 2005 that the promised revocation of the fiscal tax will NOT happen anytime in 2005.

...what's the average time between the Indo Gov't announcing something and implementing it? About 2 years? More? Hopefully less for this one...

...the same page also mentions that you can get a multi-exit/re-entry permit if you have more than six months left on your KITAS...

Cheers.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
rayman



Joined: 24 May 2003
Posts: 427

PostPosted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 10:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

At the airport, you could bypass the fiscal tax desk and instead pay when passing through immigration. Only recommended if you don't like collecting receipts.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
opo



Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 23

PostPosted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 3:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Even at the airport you might be able to avoid some of the exit fee. I left last Sept. and in very broken bahasa managed to give a bribe rather than the the full mill I paid 600 thou. Can never hurt to give it a try anyway.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Yahoo Messenger
TEAM_PAPUA



Joined: 24 May 2004
Posts: 1679
Location: HOLE

PostPosted: Wed Jul 06, 2005 5:46 am    Post subject: * Reply with quote

Quote:
Batam to Singapore - Rp 500,000 fiskal, if you leave by ferry. You can cut your fiskal costs, (plus save quite a bit on the airfare) to Singapore by flying Jakarta-Batam (flights within a country are always much cheaper than those to a different country) and take the S$30 (return) 30 minute Batam-Singapore ferry. Save on the airfare and the fiskal is only Rp 500,000.


I can confirm the above as I did it a few years ago.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
El Llama



Joined: 12 Jul 2004
Posts: 70
Location: The Big Durian

PostPosted: Wed Jul 13, 2005 4:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

You could also ask your school to apply for a multiple entry permit when they get your KITAS, or you can get it yourself after your KITAS has come through. This can be bought for (I think) Rp. 750,000 and effectively upgrades the KITAS so that you can swan in and out of the country as you please.

I haven't heard of any schools offering it as standard, but it's not a huge price to pay for flexibility.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
guruengerish



Joined: 28 Mar 2004
Posts: 424
Location: Australia

PostPosted: Wed Jul 27, 2005 12:41 pm    Post subject: Multile exit/entry visas Reply with quote

My experience with multiple exit/emtry visa was that schols do not like to issue these, as it makes it too easy for a teacher to do a runner.

If you're renewing a contract and you've been reliable in the previous year, it might be easier, but generaly, they're durned hard to get out of a school.

All schools pay 10% of a teacher's wages in income tax. I once read that most tax in the country comes from expats, as no-one else submits a tax return!

Even when the schools do pay tax, they're not entirely honest about it, and one EF school I was at tried to get us all to sign a document, stating that we got even less than the pittance they were paying.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Job Discussion Forums Forum Index -> Indonesia All times are GMT
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


This page is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling.
Contact Dave's ESL Cafe
Copyright © 2018 Dave Sperling. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2002 phpBB Group

Teaching Jobs in China
Teaching Jobs in China