The number of foreign workers in Buleleng Regency, Bali, has risen over the past year. This increase is considered to have a positive impact on the region’s Locally Generated Revenue through a compensation fund scheme.
Acting Head of the Buleleng Manpower Office, I Nyoman Suarjana, reported that in 2023 there were 116 foreign workers, and the figure rose to 162 in 2024.
“This increase contributes to Locally Generated Revenue through the compensation scheme,” Suarjana stated on Sunday (June 15, 2025).
Each foreign worker is required to pay a monthly compensation fee of USD 100, which is submitted to the central government and later redistributed to local governments as official regional revenue.
“Our role regarding foreign workers is limited to monitoring those who are employed. All data and permits are integrated into the Foreign Worker Information System managed by the Ministry of Manpower,” Suarjana explained as reported by JPNN.
Regarding authority, he clarified that monitoring by the regency government only applies to those working within the Buleleng area.
“We have no jurisdiction over foreign nationals who are not employed or only have a residence permit. The central system regulates everything strictly, and we rely on the data from Foreign Worker Information System,” he added.
Mostly from China
Suarjana noted that the industrial and energy sectors account for the largest number of foreign workers in Buleleng, with most of them coming from China. These workers are typically specialists or company owners involved in strategic projects, such as coal-fired power plants.
Buleleng Local Government, he said, continues to promote foreign investment as it is believed to create job opportunities for local workers and increase revenue through foreign workers’ compensation funds.
“Ideally, more investment will lead to more job opportunities for both local workers and skilled foreign workers. Each renewal of a foreign worker’s permit means additional compensation funds for the region,” Suarjana emphasized, as quoted from BaliPuspaNews.
Currently, the compensation funds are managed by the central government and automatically transferred to local governments. However, the Buleleng Manpower Office hopes that in the future, a dedicated allocation will be set aside to recognize the region’s role in managing foreign labor.
Beyond supervising foreign workers in Indonesia, the Manpower Office is also responsible for improving the quality of the local workforce, placing workers both domestically and abroad, and resolving industrial relations disputes.
“We urge all parties to comply with the applicable regulations. If a foreign worker’s contract ends and is not renewed, they are no longer permitted to work. Handling illegal status falls under the jurisdiction of immigration and the central government,” Suarjana concluded.
Sources: JPNN.com, BaliPuspaNews.com
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