Job Discussion Forums

Nickov · Joined: 28 Mar 2010 Posts: 3

I am halfway through a one year contract and have had a dispute with my school. I've been really let down and I want out.

The problem is that I have a KITAS and they're demanding 400 USD for me to be 'released' from a contract I never signed. Apparently the lack of contract is irrelevant as the KITAS forces me to continue here.
They tell me that I cant leave the country without the exit permit which they control and that they can 'blacklist' me with immigration should I try to reapply for a KITAS in the future.

Are they right or re they bluffing and is there a way round this???

Any advice would be gratefully received!

travelNteach · Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Posts: 222

they cannot blacklist u from indonesia. even if they did, all u would have to do is get a new passport.

400 dollars is a very cheap buyout. they mustnt have paid the 100 dollar per month bule tax or they would want a lot more. i would just pay it and be done or finish the year. to get an exit permit, u need to have the blue book and it has to be done by an agent of the school. if u had a reentry permit u could just leave an not return but if u dont have one already the school will never get u one. the only way around your situation is to "lose, damage or destroy" your passport and have a new one issued. but that means a police report and a bunch of lying. best just to pay up and move on to something that is hopefully better.

Nickov · Joined: 28 Mar 2010 Posts: 3

travelNteach · Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Posts: 222

the blue book is an immigration document that is held by the school. your exit permit cannot be processed without it.
u do NOT have to pay the fiskal when leaving on an exit permit. your school should have provided u with an NPWP (registered tax payer) card. u could try and threaten them that u will call the tax office, very scary thug mentality people, but that would probably just cause even more problems for yourself.
in the old days, u could just bribe immigration at the airport and ever easier at water crossings like batam, but i wouldnt recommend it these days as if is getting very hard if not impossible to do. and they u would lose your airplane ticket.

other then trying to act like u are happy and get a reentry permit to attend a wedding/funeral...... dont know of any loopholes.

good luck

godmachine12 · Joined: 06 Feb 2009 Posts: 62

At the end of this year, you will no longer be required to present the fiscal tax card (NPWP). I might be wrong about this, but I thought you could leave the country on a single-entry KITAS without an EPO with the catch being that they immediately cancelled your KITAS, your work permit and you were forbidden from re-entering the country without either a new work visa or a tourist visa. Provided that this is possible, you could leave at the beginning of next year, avoid the fiscal tax and be on your way. If you can't do that, why don't you ask your school to get a single-entry exit permit. Tell them that you want to go to Singapore on holiday to do some shopping and what not, but just don't return.

It might not matter now, but you should have your KITAS, NPWP and Buku Mutasi (blue book), not your employer. I have the original copies of all of mine and only give them out when it's needed. You aren't working for EF by any chance are you? Sadly, it sounds like something they would pull. Good luck.

Bule_Gila · Posted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 6:09 am Post subject:

Immigration is the only entity that can blacklist you. This is usually done if you are caught working here illegally. The blacklisting only lasts for one year, so you do not have to "lose" your passport if you ever wanted to re-enter Indonesia, unless you planed to come back within a year.

The buyout they are offering is cheap. If you don't want to pay it, just bear it and stay for the year. As for exit permits, you will need one in order to board a plane back to your country. You should contact your embassy about this because they may be able to help you leave Indonesia without an exit permit, unless you are from Canada, like me (I had this problem in the past and my Embassy let me down).

travelNteach · Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Posts: 222

BG, not entirely correct, several oraganizations............. police, courts, attorney general...... can order a travel ban or have people blacklisted. a person can be designated personna non grata, or banned for life. commonly, a person is blacklisted for 1 year for overstaying their visa and not paying the $25/day fee if the overstay was a short time, but usually results in being blacklisted for long term overstay, plus all the time they spend in immigration camp (jail) waiting to be officially deported. u can be blacklisted for a wide variety of offenses.

dont feel bad about your embassy, most embassies are here for the same reason............. to push their political adgenda and promote their countries' business interests. ususally the most help they provide for overstayers or people that run afoul of the law is lawyer recommendations, unless your case garners a lot of publicity, like shelby corban or whatever her name was. the most they usually do is help stranded citizens....... ie emergency passport or airplane ticket home for a promisory note.

i really wish OP would post the outcome of their situation. seems they are quite happy to come here and take lots of advice, but then offer no further updates that could help the next person.

bikesjuno1 · Joined: 21 Oct 2009 Posts: 5

I was in the same situation as you in June of this year. The school threatened me that they would make it very difficult for me to leave Indonesia if I left while I was still on a contract. I left the school I was working at and made my way to Bali. I flew out of the country from there and no questions asked at the airport. The immigration clerk barely looked at my passport just found an open page to stamp my departure. Don't let Indonesians scare you. They try and look like authority figures especially the managers.

bikesjuno1 · Joined: 21 Oct 2009 Posts: 5

By the way are you working for Real English in Jogja? Feel free to PM me

Nickov · Joined: 28 Mar 2010 Posts: 3

Thanks to everyone for their advice.
I bought out my contract with EF and returned to Indonesia with a new centre paying three times more than EF! Ecstatic!!

marcusuk · Joined: 04 May 2011 Posts: 6 Location: Please Select

Have you had problems with Real English?

I used to work there and loved the place but I hear things have changed with new owners.