Indonesia has quietly joined the global competition for mobile professionals. With the rollout of its Remote Worker Visa, known officially as the E33G, the country is offering foreign employees and offshore founders a legal way to live in Indonesia while continuing to work for employers or businesses based overseas. The policy, introduced in 2024 and refined for 2025, reflects a broader recalibration: attracting global talent without opening the door to informal local employment.
For digital nomads accustomed to short-term tourist visas, and for founders seeking a Southeast Asian base, the E33G marks a notable shift. It promises residency clarity—but only within clearly defined boundaries.
The E33G Remote Worker Visa is structured as a limited stay permit (ITAS) for foreign nationals whose income originates outside Indonesia. In plain terms, it allows people to live in Indonesia while working elsewhere. That distinction is central to how the visa is regulated.
Eligibility is anchored in proof of overseas employment or contracts, alongside a minimum income threshold and basic financial reserves. While employees of foreign-registered companies are the primary audience, some freelancers and contractors have also been approved where they can demonstrate stable offshore income—though approvals remain discretionary rather than guaranteed.
The visa is issued for one year and can be renewed once, capping total stay at two years. That time limit underscores Indonesia’s intent: the E33G is not a pathway to permanent residence, nor a substitute for work authorization tied to local business activity.
Unlike some countries that market digital nomad visas as lifestyle products, Indonesia’s framework is notably cautious. The E33G explicitly prohibits holders from working for Indonesian companies, receiving local income, or serving Indonesian clients. This preserves the local labor market while still welcoming foreign spending and long-term visitors.
For policymakers, it is a balancing act. Indonesia gains residents who contribute to housing, services, and the local economy, without diluting employment protections. For applicants, the trade-off is certainty: the visa clearly states what is allowed and what is not, reducing the grey areas that have historically plagued remote workers.
The most debated aspect of the E33G is taxation. Under Indonesian law, individuals who spend 183 days or more in the country within a 12-month period may be treated as tax residents. In principle, tax residents are subject to tax on worldwide income.
There are, however, nuances. Indonesia offers a limited territorial regime for certain qualifying foreign professionals, under which only Indonesia-sourced income is taxed for a defined period. Whether remote income qualifies as foreign-sourced depends on how and where the services are deemed to be performed—a distinction that often requires case-by-case analysis.
The practical takeaway is that the E33G is an immigration solution first, not a tax shield. Remote workers planning extended stays are increasingly advised to consider tax exposure early, rather than assuming offshore income will remain untouched.
For founders of overseas companies, the E33G can work well—up to a point. Managing an offshore business remotely from Indonesia is permitted, provided clients, revenue, and operations remain outside the country. Problems arise when founders begin hiring locally, marketing to Indonesian customers, or establishing a physical presence.
At that stage, immigration and investment rules intersect. Running an onshore business typically requires a foreign-owned company (PT PMA) and an Investor KITAS, which grants management rights but comes with capital and compliance requirements. The E33G, by contrast, is deliberately narrow and temporary.
The Remote Worker Visa is one option among several. Founders planning deeper market entry often choose the Investor KITAS, which allows active management of an Indonesian entity and longer stays. High-net-worth individuals may look to Indonesia’s Golden Visa, launched in 2023, which offers five- to ten-year residency in exchange for larger financial commitments.
Short-term visitor visas still exist, but they do not authorize work of any kind. As enforcement tightens, reliance on tourist visas for remote work has become increasingly risky.
Indonesia’s immigration modernization extends beyond visa categories. From October 2025, all foreign arrivals—including E33G holders—must complete a digital arrival declaration before boarding flights. This requirement is part of a broader push to integrate immigration data, tax residency indicators, and stay histories more closely.
For remote workers, that integration means visibility. Long stays are easier for authorities to track, reinforcing the importance of choosing the right visa from the outset.
As options expand, so does complexity. Many applicants underestimate how immigration status, tax residency, and business structure interact. It is increasingly common for remote professionals and founders to seek advice on visa immigration strategy before relocating. Firms such as CPT Corporate are often referenced in this context for helping applicants align visa choice with longer-term plans—whether that means remaining remote, transitioning to an investor route, or planning a compliant exit.
Indonesia’s Remote Worker Visa does not promise unlimited freedom, and that is precisely its point. The policy reflects a maturing approach: openness to global mobility, paired with firm regulatory lines. Remote workers are welcome—but only as remote workers.
For foreign media observers, the E33G is a signal worth noting. Indonesia is not chasing nomads with blanket incentives; it is building a controlled, rules-based framework that fits its labor and investment priorities.
As remote work reshapes how people choose where to live, Indonesia has entered the conversation on its own terms. For those who understand the boundaries—and plan accordingly—the opportunity is real.
This press release has also been published on VRITIMES