how to live in bali as a foreigner

One of the most important things to your life in Bali, will be how you are going to make a living here. Finding a job in Bali is not easy, as the Indonesian government would rather give jobs to locals whenever possible. For the jobs that they will allow foreigners to do, it can be hard to find an open position as so many people want to be here. Don’t get discouraged though because it is possible, even more so if you are willing to think outside of the box.

Since the government really only likes to grant working visas (KITAS) for jobs that Indonesians are not capable of performing, you have a few options at your disposal. Do not ever work without a visa in Bali, it is dangerous and you leave yourself open to deportation every day. Here are some of your options.

Manager or higher at a 5 star hotel or similar – This is one area where they will hire foreigners to work in Bali, although you will definitely need some experience at managing such a large scale operation and many companies will hire from within. Unless this is your current field of work, it is not the best route to take.

Teaching English – If you are from a native English speaking country then it could be easy to find yourself a job in Bali. Pay scales vary from school to school, with international schools paying the most, national plus schools being the runner up and English institutes like English First coming in last. The pay comes along with your experience and credentials, meaning you will need a much higher degree to teach at an international school and less so with places like English First and English Town. The latter places should handle your visa although their pay is barely enough for a newcomer to Bali to survive on.

Special Skilled Work – If you have special skills, such as interior design or in real estate marketing, you might be able to find a place that will hire you in Bali. Try submitting an ad in the Bali Advertiser and seeing what you get back in return. Some restaurants and bars will hire foreigners for guest relations and such but these are often very long hours for not much money in return.