Can you work in Indonesia on a spouse dependent visa (KITAS/KITAP)?

Possibly. 

Let me explain. 

It basically depends on what sort of work or business you want to do. 

If, for example, you want to work for a company in any capacity, whether as an employee or even as a director or commissioner, then you will need to get a work permit. 

Whether you are eligible for a work permit depends on the industry the company operates in and your role in the company. 

Getting a work permit is not cheap and the company is obliged to pay a certain sum (US$1,200) into a special fund which is (apparently) used to train domestic workers. What actually happens to this money is anyone’s guess of course. 

The company will generally use an agent to process the work permit as it involves a complex and time-consuming process. As an employee, you are subject to certain legal requirements such as paying a proportion of your salary to the State Social Security and Healthcare Agency (BPJS). 

So, working in the formal sector is not easy in Indonesia; first you have to find a job and then you have to sort out the work permit issues. 

But don’t be discouraged. 

Because there is another way. 

If you want to do business on your own or work in the informal sector. 

This is only possible, however, if you are legally married! 

That means your marriage must be recognized by the Indonesian state and not be a civil partnership or unrecognized marriage (such as a nikah sirih marriage). 

The reasoning behind the Indonesian law is: 

1. The husband is the head of the household; and 

2. The husband is therefore obligated to provide for his wife. 

As such, the foreign spouse may conduct business or work in the informal sector in order to make a living and look after their families. What this means in practice is that you could work as an English language tutor, handicrafts exporter, writer, food seller or set up a business online, for example. 

It’s important to note that you are not allowed to employ staff, so this kind of restricts the work you can engage in, and raises the question of whether you can or not set up a café or restaurant in the name of your Indonesian partner (a very common business here). 

So good luck! 

And if you are struggling for ideas, you can always sell nasi goreng!