Indonesian authorities get tough on work visas; Asia Air launches new Aussie route to Bali

Indonesian authorities are getting tough on foreign workers, as new route to Bali is launched in Australia.

Indonesian officials are cracking down on businesses employing foreigners amid an increase in workers caught breaking their visa conditions.

The Foreigner Surveillance Team, known as Pora Bali, said they were targeting tourist hotspots Seminyak and Canggu first, before moving on to other resorts in Badung.

Balinese officials have been vocal about their zero-tolerance approach to foreigners breaking the rules of their visa, whether this be tourists, business owners, investors, potential investors, or employed workers.

Over the past two years, there has been a notable rise in the number of foreigners caught working in Bali without the correct visa or business permits.

Indonesian authorities cracking down on visa checks on foreigners. Picture: AFP

Speaking to local media after a series of spot checks on restaurants in Bali that employ foreigners, The Head of Immigration Intelligence and Enforcement Division, Setyo Budiwardoyo, said the team is approaching the checks with a “sympathetic approach” so as not to initiate business owners and create tensions.

“We want to ensure that all business owners understand the applicable rules without feeling pressured so that this supervision is carried out with caution,” he said.

All foreigners working or conducting business activities in Bali need to have the correct visas, permits, and licenses.

Mr Budiwardoyo said that the next round of spot checks in Seminyak and Canggu will focus on night-life and entertainment venues.

“Night entertainment venues receive special attention because of the higher potential for violations, including criminal activity that may involve foreigners.” he said.

Australians dominated arrival numbers to Bali this year with 877,329 visitors. Picture: AFP

According to the Bali Sun, authorities have been told that when they discover a foreigner or business breaking the conditions of visas, permits, or licenses, there should be swift action taken to reiterate the zero tolerance approach.

The crackdown is part of a wider mission to ensure that Bali “maintains a positive image as a tourist and business destination.”

Meanwhile, new flights have been introduced to allow tourists easier and more affordable access to islands in Bali.

According to data from Ngurah Rai Immigration, the number of foreign tourists visiting Bali from January to July 2024 reached 3.89 million, up from 2.9 million during the same period in 2023.

Australians dominated arrival numbers with 877,329 visitors, followed by 328,767 from India and 278,329 from China.

AirAsia has launched a new flight service from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport to the Malaysian city of Kota Kinabalu and will operate three times every week.

New flights have been introduced to allow tourists easier and more affordable access to islands in Bali. Picture: Getty Images

Aussies will also benefit from a new direct service launching on Wednesday between Cairns and Bali will launch, which be operated by AirAsia, making it even easier for Queensland-based holiday-makers to set off to paradise.

The service comes in addition to AirAsia’s direct service from Brisbane to Bali.

It comes as tourists have been warned to keep a close eye on their belongings when visiting the island’s most popular beaches after a rise in robberies at busy resorts.

Police in Klungkung Regency, home to popular coastal vistas like Kelingking Beach, Diamond Beach, and Angles Billabong on Nusa Penida, have been patrolling the areas more frequently to prevent thefts against tourists.

Klungkung Regency Police Officer I Gede Aryawan told local media: “We advise tourists who come to the beaches to be careful about putting valuables in a safe place when surfing in the beach waves.

“Our personnel are deployed for patrol activities both day and night.”

Originally published as Indonesian authorities get tough on work visas; Asia Air launches new Aussie route to Bali