Red Carpet or Red Tape? Indonesia’s Immigration Strategy After the Election

What Has Changed in Indonesia’s Immigration Policy Since 2014?

In 2014, Indonesia welcomed a new beginning. A relatively young democracy ushered in its seventh president, a figure known for his humble beginnings and grassroots appeal, marking a break from decades of ex-military leadership.

The early years were filled with optimism: bold infrastructure ambitions and an open-door policy for investors fueled a wave of innovation. Indonesia saw the rise of 14 homegrown unicorns, signaling a belief in national transformation.

The 2024 Election and Indonesia’s New Immigration Landscape

Ten years and two elections later, the momentum has shifted. The 2024 election saw the return of a military figure to the presidency, signaling a re-consolidation of power and a shift back to establishment politics.

Indonesia’s economic vision remains ambitious with national projects like expansion of public transportations and roads, green energy infrastructure and the ultimate dream of the new capital city, Nusantara. Yet, public unrest and political volatility are growing. Rising protectionism, restless youth and middle class and increasingly tighter policies highlight a paradox: local frustrations amid the rising influx of global talent.

Why Local Talent Is Looking Abroad 

The early months of the new administration were turbulent. In the first quarter of 2025, the #IndonesiaGelap (“Indonesia goes dark”) protest erupted after deep cuts to the national education budget, followed by widespread backlash against proposed changes to the Indonesian National Armed Forces Law. The financial markets reacted sharply, plunging more than 7%, the steepest drop since 2011.

Amid this unrest, a different kind of movement gained traction online. The viral hashtag #KaburAjaDulu (“just escape first”) captured the growing desire among Indonesia’s youth and middle class to seek better prospects abroad. What began as online satire evolved into a potent symbol of political fatigue and economic frustration, reinforcing what appears to be a new wave of voluntary brain drain.

Increasingly, these aspirations are finding direction.

• • • Singapore has emerged as a natural destination for Indonesian talent, as the country offers attractive career opportunities and high standard of living only a short flight from home.
    • Japan, struggling with rapidly aging population, continues to welcome Indonesian workers through various Technical Intern Training Schemes and Specified Skilled Worker Programs, with plans to recruit more than 100,000 workers across sectors like healthcare, agriculture and construction.
    • Australia’s Working Holiday Visa options offer young Indonesians a temporary escape, with a growing annual quota now allowing up to 5,000 young Indonesians to live, work and travel for a year.

These regional pathways represent a quiet but steady outflow of talent that Indonesia is struggling to retain.

How is Indonesia Attracting Foreign Investment and Global Talent?

Despite domestic dissatisfaction there is a visible increase in foreign arrivals. The number of foreign workers rose by 64% from 111,537 in 2022 to 183,964 in 2024, while international tourist arrivals surged more than double, from more than 5.8 million in 2022 to nearly 14 million in 2024. This paradox, a country simultaneously exporting and importing talent, sits at the heart of Indonesia’s immigration dilemma.

Indonesia’s Investment Immigration Priorities

In 2025, Indonesia’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) strategy prioritizes sectors such as EV batteries, clean energy, public transportation, digital infrastructure and state-building initiatives like the new capital, Nusantara.

These industries demand not just capital, but highly specialized global expertise such as civil engineers, renewable energy experts and project directors. To support this, the government has streamlined immigration processes by digitizing all application steps, requiring only soft copy submissions and significantly accelerating the approvals.

In parallel, Indonesia has rolled out long-stay visa pathways aimed at attracting high-value individuals.

• • • The Second Home Visa and Investor Visa cater to those seeking to retire or conduct business in Indonesia
    • The Golden Visa serves as a prestige gateway for global talent and high-net-worth individuals. Since its launch in 2024, it is reported that 471 Golden Visas have been issued, generating approximately US$ 558 million in foreign investment. Notable recipients include Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, who was honored as the first Golden Visa awardee, and former national football coach Shin Tae-yong, underscoring the government’s “quality-over-quantity” approach.

For investors and specialized professionals, these developments signal continuity in Indonesia’s development ambitions. However, sectors with perceived local workforce sufficiency may face tighter scrutiny, additional requirements and steeper localization obligations.

Impact on Businesses and Workforce Planning 

One of the clearest signs of tightening control is the growing use of position-based restrictions and administrative constraints on foreign hiring.

• • • Role limitations: Foreign nationals are usually excluded from roles in general administration, HR, legal and mid-level supervisory positions.
    • No national quotas, but local scrutiny: While Indonesia does not impose nationwide quotas, companies must justify each foreign hire in their Foreign Manpower Planning (RPTKA) submission, often including skill transfer plans and local understudy assignments. In practice, some regional manpower offices impose informal limitations based on sector sensitivities or political signals, creating a perception of “shadow quotas” even in the absence of official ceilings.
    • Mandatory localization efforts: Employers are expected to assign Indonesian understudies, provide regular training and demonstrate long-term localization pathways.

In effect, foreign hires must now justify their presence not only through qualifications, but through their capacity to elevate local talent.

What Immigration Opportunities and Risks Should Businesses Expect?

Opportunities:

• • • Indonesia has made real progress in digitizing its immigration framework. The Visa Online platform for eVisa application, including the Remote Worker Visa, which was introduced in 2024, simplifies the application process and secures the country a spot alongside other Digital Nomad visa options in APAC.
    • The digitalization of work permits steps and simpler local registration requirements have streamlined many processes. Companies operating in major cities such as Jakarta, Surabaya, Bali and Batam now experience more predictability and transparency.

Risks:

• • • Regional inconsistencies and legacy friction persist. In secondary provinces, smaller regencies, or remote industrial and project sites, approvals may still require offline submissions, wet-signed paperwork and even manual endorsements.
    • Processing times vary, sudden document revisions, change in local office head and ambiguous interpretation of regulation can stall foreign hiring or deployment, even when rules are followed. This creates a gap between policy intent and operational reality.
    • Most foreign companies and investors may see Indonesia’s immigration reform on paper and plan accordingly, only to discover a different picture on the ground.

These dynamics present both a challenge and a choice. Companies that treat immigration as a checklist risk delays and bottlenecks. A strategic approach, partnering with trusted consultants can build credibility, resilience and long-term operational agility.

What is the Future of Indonesia’s Immigration Strategy?

Indonesia’s immigration system in 2025 is neither fully open nor closed. It is selectively adaptive, trying to meet the demands of foreign investment while protecting the hopes of its citizens.

The future lies in designing systems that:

• • • Value creation
    • Support local development
    • Foster mutual trust between global and domestic stakeholders

For international investors, mobility leaders and business strategists, the key question is no longer just “Can we get talent into Indonesia?” but:

“Can we build something sustainable with the right talent, at the right time, in the right way?”

How Fragomen Can Help

Fragomen’s experienced immigration professionals partner with both employers and individuals to build tailored immigration strategies that anticipate challenges, ensure compliance and support long-term mobility goals in Indonesia.

Need to Know More?

For further information on Indonesia’s immigration policies, please contact Assistant Business Immigration Manager Raga Rasuanta at [email protected].

This blog was published on 4 September 2025, and due to the circumstances, there are frequent changes. To keep up to date with all the latest updates on global immigration, please subscribe to our alerts and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.