Bali at a Glance

Working in Bali

The Balinese economy is mainly supported by the tourist industry.

If your heart is set on working in a country that promises ideal vacations, you’ll feel right at home in Bali. However, working in Bali requires some physical and emotional adjustments. InterNations gives you a brief introduction to working in Bali, including job-hunting, business culture and more.

Bali is a mixture of extravagant holiday resorts sprawled along white sandy beaches and, unfortunately, poverty. Most locals working in Bali are employed either in the tourism industry in the south of the island, or work in farming and agriculture. For expats looking at working in Bali, the hotel and tourism industry would be the most pragmatic choice. As the cost of living in Bali is relatively low in comparison to other countries, most expats working in Bali find themselves living a comfortable, almost luxurious lifestyle!

Working in Bali: Economy

Everyone who starts working in Bali will quickly realize that the largest industry on the island is agriculture. The most important and most flourishing agricultural products are rice, coffee, tea, cacao, soy beans and tobacco, among others. However, the major contributor to Bali’s GDP is the tourism sector.

In the 1970s the Balinese government realized that they cannot avoid the huge torrents of tourists streaming onto the island and decided to be proactive in this matter. Instead of rejecting the onslaught of tourism, they turned it around to make the island one of the first cultural tourism hotspots. This resulted in Bali becoming the showcase of Indonesia and made the Balinese island the wealthiest in the entire archipelago to date.

Working in Bali: Jobs for Expats

Expats considering working in Bali will find most opportunities either at international companies, as an English teacher, or in the tourism industry. If money is not your motivation for working in Bali, there are also several volunteer organizations stationed in Bali.

Special skills and extraordinary qualifications in your field of work will be beneficial for working in Bali. If you aren’t sent to Bali on a foreign assignment or decide to retire there, a good way to begin the search for a job in Bali would be to find out in which areas the Balinese economy requires specialists. As previously mentioned, the tourist industry is booming in Bali: If you are qualified in any hotel or restaurant jobs and bring outstanding work experience with you, working in Bali may not be too difficult for you!

It is important to note that finding a job once you are in Bali is usually more difficult than having one before you move to Bali, especially as far as visas are concerned. Therefore we highly recommend you begin your search well in advance of your intended moving date.

Working in Bali: Work Permits

Acquiring a visa for working in Bali is a slightly complicated process. This is due in part to the fact that many Indonesian companies prefer to employ locals to non-Indonesians. In Indonesia, companies are required to have what is called an IMTA, which is a work permit given to companies interested in hiring foreign employees.

Of course, that does not mean that working in Bali as a foreigner is impossible: On the contrary, there are many foreign nationals working in Bali. However, it is important to be aware that legally working in Bali can be more difficult than expected. It would be beneficial if you hire either an immigration agent or find work before entering the country.