Requirements to Teach English in Indonesia
Bachelor’s degree, TEFL certificate, and native-speaker nationality from one of seven approved countries. Indonesia’s requirements are legally embedded in the KITAS work permit system. Here’s what each requirement means in practice.
Indonesia’s requirements: legally embedded in the KITAS system
Indonesia’s requirements for English teachers are legally enforced through the KITAS (work permit) framework in a way that makes them non-negotiable at established schools. The Ministry of Manpower’s IMTA (work permit approval) process requires employers to document that the foreign hire meets specific criteria — including nationality from an approved country. Schools that cannot or will not sponsor a KITAS are typically operating outside the legal framework for foreign employment.
The critical legal reality: there is an active enforcement operation in Indonesia — particularly in Bali and Jakarta — that specifically targets illegal foreign workers. The penalty for working without a valid work permit: deportation, a fine, and a potential entry ban. The sources are explicit: “There are foreigners in Bali who are working as English teachers without having a work permit. It is an illegal practice. There is a special task force in Bali with the sole purpose of finding illegal foreign workers.” Use the KITAS requirement as your primary employer quality filter.
Degree requirement
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited university is required for KITAS eligibility. Any discipline qualifies for language centre and kindergarten positions — the subject is irrelevant for these roles. Education or subject-relevant degrees are required for international schools. Master’s degree required for university positions.
The degree must be provided to your employer for KITAS documentation. Some employers request a stamped/authenticated copy — have your degree apostilled before leaving your home country if at all possible, as doing it from Indonesia is significantly more complex.
Note: Some sources indicate limited opportunities without a degree are theoretically possible in Indonesia — but in practice, any employer sponsoring a KITAS through the proper IMTA process requires degree documentation. Teachers without degrees who work in Indonesia are almost invariably doing so illegally (without KITAS), which carries the deportation risk described above. A degree is effectively mandatory for legal employment.
TEFL requirements in Indonesia
A 120-hour TEFL/TESOL certificate is required by most language schools and is part of the KITAS documentation for teaching positions. EF Education First Indonesia sometimes offers TEFL sponsorship as part of the teacher employment package — one of the few employers in this build that subsidises certification. CELTA is valued at international schools and corporate training firms. The certificate must be from an accredited provider.
In-Indonesia TEFL courses are available in Bali (CIEE affiliate programmes, Trinity CertTESOL providers in Bali) and Jakarta. Some teachers complete their TEFL in Bali before job-hunting — this works but means arriving without employment and spending savings while job-searching, which the earlier Bali caution applies to.
The 7-country native speaker requirement
Indonesian law requires employers to hire only native English speakers for English teaching positions. The seven recognised nationalities for KITAS work permits in English teaching: USA, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa. This is a strict legal framework — stricter in practice than even mainland China’s similar rule, because Indonesia’s enforcement mechanism (the IMTA work permit process) requires employers to document the teacher’s passport nationality at the permit application stage.
Practical implications:
- Non-listed nationality teachers who are working in Indonesia are almost always working illegally (without KITAS or with fraudulent documentation) — with the associated deportation risk
- Some international schools with direct international hiring frameworks may have more flexibility for teachers from other nationalities — verify directly with specific schools
- NGO positions may have different frameworks depending on the organisation’s legal structure
- Online teaching from Indonesia (for a foreign employer) is a separate category — the E33G digital nomad visa permits this, does not authorise local classroom teaching
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Other requirements
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Criminal background check | Clean criminal record from home country. FBI check for US citizens; DBS/police certificate for UK etc. Apostille recommended. Required for KITAS documentation. |
| Medical certificate | Health check required for KITAS. Done in Indonesia through employer-designated clinics. Includes blood test, chest X-ray, general physical. Employer typically arranges this. |
| Passport validity | Minimum 18 months remaining validity for KITAS application. Renew before applying if this is borderline. |
| Photographs | Multiple professional photographs required — specific background colour per immigration requirement. Employer will advise. Bring plenty of spares. |
| References | International schools require 2–3 professional references. Language centres typically ask for references but less formally verifying. Academic or employer references. |
| Contract | KITAS requires a signed employment contract between teacher and employer. Contract must specify role, salary, and duration. Keep copies of all paperwork. |
Requirements by job type
| Position | Degree | TEFL | Teaching licence | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Language centre | Bachelor’s (any) | 120hr+ | Not needed | 7 countries |
| Kindergarten | Bachelor’s (any) | 120hr+ | Preferred at top schools | 7 countries |
| Private/National Plus | Bachelor’s | 120hr+ | Preferred | 7 countries |
| International school | Education/subject | CELTA+ | Required | 7 countries |
| University | Master’s/PhD | Helpful | Helpful | 7 countries |
| NGO/community | Bachelor’s typically | 120hr+ | Not required | Varies by org |
Can I get a KITAS without having my TEFL yet?
Technically the KITAS application requires documentation of qualifications at the point of application. If you are being offered a position by EF Indonesia that includes TEFL sponsorship, the employer handles the sequencing — they may have established processes for onboarding teachers into their certification programme before the KITAS is fully processed. For any other employer: have your TEFL certificate completed before the KITAS application begins. Starting the TEFL after accepting a job offer is possible if your employer is flexible about timing, but adds delay to an already 1–3 month process. The safer approach: complete your TEFL before your Indonesia job search so it’s immediately available when you need it for documentation.
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