On April 8, 2020, Ida Fauziyah, the Indonesian Minister of Manpower ("MOM"), signed and issued Circular Letter No. M/4/HK.04/IV/2020 regarding Services for the Utilization of Foreign Workers in Relation to the Prevention of Covid-19 ("MOM CL 4/2020").
This new circular letter follows the issuance of Minister of Law and Human Rights Regulation No. 11 of 2020 regarding the Temporary Prohibition on Foreigners Entering Indonesia and the expiration of an earlier MOM circular letter concerning services for the utilization of foreign manpower from the People's Republic of China in order to prevent Covid-19.
Through MOM CL 4/2020, the Ministry of Manpower suspends all services for new applications related to the utilization and licensing of foreign workers. The circular letter stipulates exceptions for applications for (a) foreign nationals who will work on national strategic projects and (b) stay permit holders who are still residing in Indonesia.
MOM CL 4/2020 also allows employers to apply for work permit extensions for their foreign workers who are still in Indonesia and cannot return to their country of origin due to entry restrictions. This allows employers to continue employing their expatriate workers during the Covid-19 outbreak.
As a practical consequence, although the Ministry of Manpower's online system for foreign workers is still accessible, companies planning to apply for new work permits for foreign workers that do not qualify for the exemptions noted above may need to wait for further notice from the Ministry of Manpower.
MOM CL 4/2020 will remain in effect until the pandemic is declared over by the Indonesian Government.
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Originally published 24 April, 2020
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