According to the Directorate General of Immigration, the aim is to prevent the exploitation of foreign workers. Since June 14, 2025, new rules have been in place to more strictly regulate the C18 stay permit (C18 visa). Also known as the "Work Trial" visa, the C18 is intended for workers coming to Indonesia to complete a trial period with a sponsoring company—the company where the trial will be carried out.
There are important conditions: the expatriate will not be paid during this trial period and cannot leave the country while the visa is valid. Leaving Indonesia during this time will lead to the visa being cancelled.
The new rules cover three main areas:
- The maximum visa duration is now limited to 90 days, down from the previous 60.
- The C18 visa is no longer renewable. Extensions are no longer allowed.
- Foreign workers can no longer apply for multiple C18 visas with the same company. Each worker is limited to one C18 visa per sponsoring company.
Visa applications must be submitted online. Under the updated rules, both sponsors and applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Sponsors must be registered on the official government portal to apply for a C18 visa.
- An official letter (from a government authority, company, etc.) must invite the foreign national to come and test their skills in Indonesia.
- Bank statements from the past three months must be provided, either from a foreign bank or from the sponsoring company.
While the reform is mainly intended to protect foreign workers from exploitation during trial periods, it also aims to tighten recruitment procedures through stricter screening.
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