Despite the usual negative news coverage of Indonesia concerning Islamic extremism, terrorist threats, natural disasters, corruption and poverty, the Jakarta Post has reported that more expats are finding jobs or business opportunities in the country.
Specifically and according to the directorate general of immigration, 55,010 foreigners have working visas in Indonesia and this figure rose by 10% last year compared with 2010. The total number of foreign residents in Indonesia, excluding tourists and foreign emissaries, rose by 6% to 111,752 in 2011. Besides the expatriate working in Indonesia, this figure includes expatriate family members, students, business owners and NGO workers.
The industry and manufacturing, trade, mining, education and construction sectors absorbed most of the expatriates in Indonesia last year with the industrial and manufacturing sectors attracting the most foreign workers, rising by 18% from 13,045 in 2010 to 16,084 in 2011. Most of the new Indonesian visas are also being issued to Chinese, Japanese, South Korean, Indian, US and Australian nationals who take high level expat jobs in the country.
Reasons cited for increased numbers of expatriates in Indonesia included a thriving economy, low cultural barriers, a friendly atmosphere and political stability. This inflow of expats is also boosting the local economy and has led to the opening of new restaurants, bars, clubs, hotels and apartments catering to expatriates, especially in Greater Jakarta region.