Job Discussion Forums

AlexPatel1985 · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Posts: 8

Hi there, I have been lurking for a while, but am new here, names alex and might be moving to indonesia for teaching sometime in September.

So yea, dont know if this is a problem but i have an interview with a school today, and was wondering if anyone else knew if it was normal practice to come to Indonesia on a visitor/tourist visa? and then get sent to indonesia???

Is this legal? If not legal is this common practice??

any replies would be helpful

Cheers Alex

laughing_magpie06 · Joined: 14 Sep 2006 Posts: 282

This is the usual practice. Mind you, you don't need to get a tourist visa first but you will get the visa on arrival at the desk near immigration.
This shouldn't be a problem as long as wherever you work pays off the right people and doesn't upset the applecart. I've never personally known anyone to get caught doing this.
If you are opposed to this method you can always ask the school to do the paperwork before you enter the country but you might find your chances of landing a job much more limited.

AlexPatel1985 · Joined: 19 Jun 2009 Posts: 8

Cheers!

Vertumnus · Joined: 03 May 2006 Posts: 142 Location: Indonesia

It is incredibly common for employers to bring you in on a tourist/social/on arrival visa and have you work illegally until your documents are ready, at which time you'll be obliged to travel to an Indo embassy in another country (generally at the expense of your employer).

It is rare for someone working this way to be caught and prosecuted, but it can happen. If you can negotiate that you will come on one of the above visas but will not work until your work visa is ready, that would be the best for you (but not them).

Or tell them you'll come when your documents have been completed, which means you'll have to wait for them to send you the telex and related documents giving the embassy nearest you (or at a waypoint on your way to Indonesia, like Singapore) permission to process the request for your work visa. If they're connected, they'll know an agent who can do it all for you. If you need an agent in Singapore, I know of two, and there are others that can be found via the Internet.

In an ideal world, the latter is what is done. In reality, most companies don't do this.

-D